This is something I was given and with permission from Terri, Sharing with the group. This is the testimonial of Terri Walker as best can be described. Terri Lynn Walker has always been a care giver to those around her.Whether it is for the benefit of those that are in need or the benefit of a desire to do what is right, she has always been there. This quality of hers may have contributed to the condition she finds herself in now. Since 2010, her father has been fighting health issues and required a lot of attention and medical assistance the she provided at any cost. Terri always made sure that she was around to help her parents in their time of need whenever that time would arise. In fact when we were looking to build a house, she wanted to build next to her parents so that she could take care of them when they could not take care of themselves. Many of our family and friends have come to her in need and she has always stepped out of the crowd to provide whatever assistance they needed. Never would she judge, she would only assist and part ways with a smile and a love ya. The fact is that she neglected to see her doctor for annual check-ups and breast scans for two years because of this desire to help others. When she scheduled the appointment, something would come up that would prevent her from going and she never would reschedule the appointment. Then in February of 2012, she pointed out a lump on the top corner of her right breast, almost under the arm, and asked me what I thought it was. When I felt it, I felt a mass about the size of a quarter and knew immediately that it was not normal, that she needed checked out so I instructed her to go see a doctor immediately. After the initial visit, the doctor wanted to run more tests but didnt want us to be alarmed because of her history with a cyst that was found when she was 19. She took the doctors advice and subjected herself to a number of tests that included a biopsy of the mass. Still we thought it was just a cyst and would all turn out fine although we both feared what it could be. After several days passed and the tests were all but forgotten, on March 6th 2012, Terri Lynn and I were notified via phone call on speaker, that she has tested positive for triple negative metastatic carcinoma, a very aggressive form of cancer. The phone call was horrifying to say the least. We expected maybe a cyst or a ripped muscle but our worst nightmare was just handed to us. Terri Lynn even told the lady on the other end that it must be a mistake that they have the wrong person but the nurse confirmed Terri Lynns information and told her No maam, this is your test results, it is not a mistake. We need you to come in for further consultation and treatment plan. I could see her face turn white and the fear strip her of her confident glow. We stopped what we were doing and she went to the bed and sat in fear, tears streaming down her face, with no idea what was to come next. Because of my ignorance in medicine, i went to the computer and immediately looked up Triple Negative Metastatic Carcinoma not knowing what I was going to find but praying that it would be that it was going to be a simple fix and we would be on with life. Once i found out what it was, I looked up the survival rate. The first site I found told me 85% mortality rate. No way could I tell her what I found so I kept looking until I found a site that said 98% survival rate. This is what I read to her and we both talked about what the next years might bring and knew at some point we were going to have to tell our children. The two girls, Victoria and Andrea still lived at home bit our son had his own family and was living with their child in Fayetteville. We called the girls into the bedroom and broke the news to them. Nobody walked out of the room with a dry eye. Our fears were running wild and would prove to be accurate as the months passed. After everyone in the family was notified of the outcome, we squared our shoulders and got ready for the fight. Terri Lynn continues to help others, putting them before herself as she always does and will probably do until the day she dies. Terri Lynn was seen by every doctor imaginable and for that following year, she fought like a champ facing every struggle with exuberance. She knew that if she was going to beat this thing that she was going to have to fight like she never fought before and call on Gods mercy and grace for healing. That first year is all but a blur, seeing doctors, getting blood work, chemotherapy treatments, and surgeries all to rid her body of this evil sickness. Then after the radical mastectomy, 4 months of chemotherapy with red devil and Tacsol, and 30 treatments of radiation, she was given the all clear!! WE WON! Or so we thought. For seven months we continued life and seeing the doctor every three months for tests and consultation. During the November doctor visit, Terri told the doctor that when she was riding her bike that her left leg felt weak or draggy as she called it. The doctor told us that the blood work didnt show any reason for alarm but he would order a PET-CT scan to confirm that she was still all clear. November 27th, Terri underwent a PET-CT scan and it revealed a spot in her upper right thigh muscle that looked to have a metabolic activity. Another biopsy confirmed that the breast cancer was not done fighting; it was only taking a break and re-gathering its forces. Terri was scheduled for surgery right away. The cancer had attached itself to the sciatic nerve that runs through the leg, but the doctor said that he got all he could without damaging the nerve but she would have to do radiation to make sure it was all dead. January 6th 2014, Terri Lynn started another 30 treatments of radiation to the upper thigh. Before treatments were done, she told the radiologist that she had been getting slight headaches an was worried the cancer had moved to her head. The doctor ordered a MRI done on her brain and on January 20th 2014, she was told she had a tumor in the cerebellum that was about 1 cm in size. The advice was to wait a month and do another MRI and see if it grows or not. Because the cancer is so aggressive, we both knew that if we waited it might be too late so we asked to be referred to a doctor in Little Rock. When we reported to the neurosurgeon to have the MRI read and get some more tests done, we were hoping that it would prove to be nothing. Then on the 21st of February tests proved that the cancer had moved to her stomach wall and on February 27th, Terri went in for brain surgery to remove the tumor. When the doctor came out to tell me how it went, the worst news was what I received. The tumor was positive for cancer and was already infiltrating the brain stem and was attached to the trigeminal nerve and he was not able to get it all. march 7th 2014, Terri Lynn was given a spinal tap that revealed the cancer was in her spinal fluid and another MRI of the spine showed sugar coating of the spine which is when the cancer coats the blood barrier of the spine. Nothing could be worse were the doctors words, this is not good. Terri Lynn asked him to shoot it to her straight and not pull any punches. February 28th the doctor gave her two to three months to live. There are no words that could explain the look on Terri Lynns face or what I felt in my heart. What is this?! I thought it would be nothing, I thought you said it would be nothing?? I am sorry the doctor said, nothing can be done. That is unacceptable was Terris response but her heart was crushed and so was mine. On the four hour ride back home, I told her that we were not done fighting. That doctor is only one of many and maybe he didnt know what all is out there to know there is a cure. I dont want to die! Terri cried several times and I could only reply, I dont want you to die! I asked her to never ask another person how much time she has, only God knows when your number is up and he is definitely not God. Terri retraced her tracks seeing every doctor that she had seen during the entire fight and each one had told her the same thing, 2-3 months Our Oncologist I believe was sent by God because he braced Terri Lynn with hope by directing her to go to MD Anderson. They may have a cure in the test phases or have a plan that could buy you time is what he would tell us. If you dont hear from them in three days, check yourself in their emergency room was his advice. Ten minutes after we left his office, MD Anderson called and told us that we had an appointment to see one of their head doctors. March 16th 2014, we left for MD Anderson, praying for some form of hope. After getting to MD Anderson, we were in awe at the size of the facility! It was like looking at downtown Little Rock with the exception that every building was a medical building. The facility alone gave us hope. When Terri and I saw the doctor, on March 17th, she asked Doctor, is there any hope? I have kids and a grandbaby I want to see grow and his response was there is always hope dear, we would not have asked toy to come if there was no hope. Besides, God can turn this around at anytime so yes dear, there is always hope March 20th Terri started whole brain radiation and on March 29th she was diagnosed with what they call Leptomeningeal Disease (LMD). This is where cancer has metastasized to your nervous system and there is no known cure. 45 days after we arrived, we left MD Anderson with a treatment plan for the doctors in Arkansas to follow and hope back in our pockets. God has her back and will be walking along side her so that she wont fall. After getting back to Arkansas, she started her six weeks of intrathecal chemotherapy where chemo is put into the spinal fluid through a port in her head just under the scalp. This would be done twice a week for six weeks where upon completion she would return to MD Anderson for an evaluation to determine if she is strong enough to continue the fight. If not then they discontinue the treatment and let the cancer do what it will. If she is then she will undergo another six weeks of the same thing. This will continue until she cant take it any longer. The chemo is not designed to rid her of cancer, to do that would take too much chemo and that would kill her. The chemo is designed to slow the rate of growth so that they can treat her as necessary to make sure she in not in pain. May 15th, our 21st anniversary, she had an MRI and PET-CT scan to check on progress and the MRI revealed that she had an impending fracture of the hip and would need immediate surgery to avoid a break. May 16th she was under the knife for the 9th time since all this started. We were also told the PET-CT scan revealed 13 new locations that looked to be positive for cancer. June 9th she started 10 treatments of radiation to reduce the size of the tumor in her abdomen and treat the site where she had to have her hip replaced due to the cancer. June 23rd-27th we will be back in Texas at MD Anderson for a follow up appointment with two doctors and several more tests, outcome will be posted on facebook Support Team Terri site. As Terri has walked through this hell, she has continued to reach out to others to help them in their struggles as only she could. God is working through her and we have embraced him in our lives. We dont do anything without thanking him for all that he has given us and continues to give us. I cant tell you how many people have called her or texted her to ask her what they should do or just call looking for hope themselves. The stories we have heard about how loved ones have left during the fight, refusing to walk with the one stricken with the disease. It amazes me at how many are forced to fight this monster alone, forced to deal with the news, attempt to go through treatments alone, and only because of the selfish acts of others. I feel for those that are forced to fight this fight alone. Terri and I have tried to live our lives in support of others and to never discount anyones emergency with drama. Our struggle as horrific as it has been will always be looked at as it could always be worse. God has blessed us with 23 years together and three great kids and a grandchild that owns both our hearts. We are blessed with a loving family and great friends. It is through organizational events such as Walk For Life that people without daily support go to to get support. We continue to pray for a miracle but as I told Terri once when she asked if I thought she was worthy of a miracle, I dont doubt that she is worthy of a miracle, I dont know if we ware worthy to have such an inspirational angel walking among us. If God called her home, I will say that she has fought a great fight and never has she turned away or blamed God for what has happened. We as parents are charged with setting examples for our kids to emulate, she has done just that. Our kids now know through her struggles just how bad it can get and how real warriors never give up and always hold on to Gods promise to always be there for us as we walk through lifes challenges. Everything has a reason and through this, we know of many people that have reignited their relationship with God and that alone makes it worth the fight. Either way Terri Lynn has won, either she will stay here with me on this earth and continue to live for God, or she will be called home and wait for our arrival. No matter where her spirit is, she will always live in our hearts and forever be in our minds. My family wants to thank all of you for all the prayers, contributions, and kind words that we have received over the last two plus years. Knowing that there are others pulling for you, crying for you, and laughing with you always makes fighting a little easier. Our message to all those that are fighting or ever find themselves in the fight is to never lose hope, always stay focused, and never stop loving, God has your back.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 03:29:15 +0000
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