Carolyn had her surgery yesterday and the doctor gave her the news this morning – benign.
When the diagnosis of soft tissue sarcoma was received about 2-3 weeks ago, it was one more thing piled on top of a bad year. In February this family lost a family pet, a house, and all their personal belongings to a house fire. They then spent the entire summer in a child custody battle. The diagnosis of cancer just felt like nothing could go right. Just one of those things in a year can be a strain on a family, but they had all three this year. However, the outpouring of support they have received from total strangers has lifted their spirits and gave them strength they didn’t know they had.
The doctor said that the growth was far more extensive than expected. He had to remove a lot of abdominal tissue and muscle so she has mesh attached on the inside and will take several weeks to recover. She has a strong support system at home and she is looking forward to a full recover. She also has a new perspective on the people in her life that she can count on.
Thank you everyone for the outpouring of support. No words can express our gratitude. Because she will not have the extensive home care that was anticipated, I have deactivated out fundraiser. We were fortunate that the financial loss to the family will only amount to several paychecks, child care, and the several days trip to Denver. There will be funds left over from the donations. The surveying community raised about 80% of the funds on our behalf so I would like your opinion regarding the left over funds. Carolyn would like to give the remaining funds to the Sarcoma Fund. However, if this group would prefer us to donate the funds to a surveying related cause such as scholarships, we will gladly comply. We would like to hear your preference since it was your efforts that helped us so much.
Again, from the bottom of our hearts, the Smithson/Quintanilla family extends gratitude, thanks, awe, and all the other good feelings for your support in an event that could have been so much worse. Facing it with friends made it much easier.
There are other families in similar need. I vote the funds go to one of them, or several.
THIS IS THE BEST NEWS I HAVE READ ALL YEAR !! "Paying it forward" as suggested above is a GREAT idea. That way they will get the same feeling of helping someone that we all got. There's no other feeling like it. It is truly better to give than to receive. Maybe they could go to the Billing office of the hospital and quietly ask if there is a patient with a similar problem that is looking at difficulty in financing everything. Then just , on the QT, offer to pay the leftovers on that tab. No fanfare. No hoopla. Just a gift from someone they do not know.
Yes!
The money is hers, no longer ours.
Wonderful news!
I say Carolyn and family keep it and use it for whatever they see fit. :angel:
I do not find it ethical to keep the money since so many others have similar burdens, and the intent of the donations was to help someone in need. There had just been so many overwhelming problems this year, I finally just had to yell "help".
Just as we were getting the good news about Carolyn, my husband got an email at work about a fellow employee fighting Metastatic Breast Cancer. She has 21 injections to endure and her copay after insurance is $650/injection in additonal to multiple procedures. We have some medical bills to pay off and the balance will be paidforward to this single mom who has a much steeper hill to climb. I am then adding two Afghan hand crafted lapis bowls for the family to auction/raffle off. Going through this gives me empathy for those who don't get good news as we did.
Cptdent is right, helping others is always so much more gratifying than helping yourself:-)
Thank you again to everyone
> ... I am then adding two Afghan hand crafted lapis bowls for the family to auction/raffle off. Going through this gives me empathy for those who don't get good news as we did.
> Cptdent is right, helping others is always so much more gratifying than helping yourself:-)
I am fortunate enough to have one of those Lapis Bowls (thank you Teresa). They are awesome. If this group is given the chance to bid on them, do not miss the chance to try and pick one up.
Larry P
Awesome news!!!! Well about the diagnosis....not about the fires, and other stuff.
If you find someone that could use the money who are undergoing tough times, give it to them!
