Rachel C.
BIRTH DATE: June 29, 1994
Illness: Osteosarcoma
Theme of Quilt: Angels
Biography
Rachel was diagnosed at age 11 in 2006 with Osteosarcoma of the
mandible (Jaw bone). Rachel spent many months on high-dose chemo to try to
shrink the tumor before doctors could try to remove the cancer. These high dose
chemotherapies caused mouth sores, stomach ulcers, severe pain, weeks spent in
the hospital with a weakened immune system and infections, severe nausea and
vomitting, muscle weakness, stomach issues and terrible ringing in her ears, her
heart to beat dangerously slow, and often made her so weak she was unable to
walk from one room to another. She missed many months of school, lost touch with
many friends, yet remained focused and positive about her recovery from these
treatments.
Rachel underwent a radical jaw resection in June of 2006 to remove her tumor.
This surgery resulted in Rachel loosing her entire lower jaw. The path report
showed no response to treatment. This was a huge blow, but we stayed positive
and kept fighting for our daughter. Near the end of her first year of treatments
we learned her cancer had spread to her lungs. As of April 2009 she had had 109
metastasis removed from her lungs, causing permanent damage to both lungs
preventing future surgeries. Rachel still has numerous tumors in both lungs.
Rachel is facing a tremendous battle for her life. We discovered that Rachel's
cancer has moved to the bones of the sternum, ribs, possibly her vertebrae, as
well as the several that keep popping up in her lungs.
The effects of chemo have left Rachel suffering from loss of some of her
earlier childhood memories coupled with a short term memory deficit. She still
has aches and pains, sometimes becoming severe and the left leg and foot still
aches from the 2007 surgery. The spots in her bones where the cancer is now
causes her bones to be weak and she has even had a break in her ribs three times
and once near the sternum. She suffers daily with headaches, and has many visits
with her doctors for one thing or another.
The choices we have made during this battle has been incredibly difficult.
Rachel has always faced her disease with courage, determination and grace. She
continues to hope for a cure and tries to live each day with a positive
attitude. Rachel has suffered and lost so much - and she wavers at times,
occasionally battling sleepless nights, bouts of depression, and just trying to
lead a normal teenage life. We hold on to hope with both hands, because if we
loose that - then there is nothing left.
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