Cayleigh is 14, from Northwood, IA. Her journey began in December of 2022 (age 13) when she began having issues with her shoulder. After months of PT and no improvement, we decided on x-rays. The x-rays showed our worst nightmare come to life. A mass in her shoulder. Things then moved so quickly. More x-rays, scans, tests anything you could imagine happened in a blink of an eye. Next thing we knew a port was put in and we were starting treatment.
Cayleigh was such a warrior during all this, she did everything with a smile on her face and a braveness I could never have. She was determined to fight and to win. She went through shoulder surgery, necrosis removal surgery, 2 lung surgeries all while doing her treatment plan.
One of the most challenging time periods was hair loss. As a 13-year-old girl, losing that part of you destroys ones self-image, not just physically but mentally. As time progressed, she became adjusted but it was a difficult process.
Cayleigh had her last day of chemo in December of 2023. After all the surgeries and treatment, she still had hundreds of tumors in her lungs, but we had no idea how viable they were. They planned scans for 3 months and began a new oral chemo regime to try and keep the tumors at bay. At the 3 months scan in April of this year, we received more nightmarish news. The chemo wasn’t working. There was growth and multiplying of the tumors. Further evaluation with a pet-scan also showed a new location (her left hip) that had a tumor. So far, no choices have been made about trying any other chemo medications. With/without medication the doctors would estimate around a year to be with us. It’s going to require some tough choices. We feel like doing nothing means that we accept the end to her fight but it’s also scary to risk a month of ‘good health’ praying for that medication to be our miracle.
Having a safe, comfortable place where she can see her friends, play video games, relax and be a kid is important to Cayleigh. Being home is comforting considering the amount of time she’s spent in hospitals throughout the last year. Giving her a space that is unique to her and makes her feel on top of the world is something, as her mother, I’ve always wanted to give her but haven’t been able to. Her room being done means just as much, if not more, to me. I can’t wait to see the smile on her face and see her light up at the transformation of her space. No amount of words or thank you’s could ever fully express my gratitude for this amazing foundation and volunteers who make these dreams a reality. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so, so incredibly much.
Recent Comments