Funding to pay Medical Bills for Reoccurring Ovarian Cancer

Hello, I am Kathy Dodds Ringgenberg I have Cancer. Yes I just said the C word, Cancer, the word has such an ominous tone to it doesn’t it? It seems so final when said out loud, who doesn’t fear it happening to them? I have been fighting this cancer for over 3 years and it seems sometimes like I have always been fighting this disease. On July 14^th, 2014 I was diagnosed with ovarian Cancer, it was discovered from an ER hospital visit by the ER doctor. Prior to my diagnosis there were signs but it wasn’t recognized as cancer at the time.I went to my family Doctor and only standard testing was done and at that point with no red flags were raised. Within 10 days of being diagnosed with Stage 4 Cancer, I was in Iowa City at the University Hospital having surgery.The surgery was successful and the Doctors were able to remove the tumors and 23 lymph nodes. After removal I started an 18 month trial of Chemo and trial drugs every 3 weeks.Chemo treatments were 5 hours and took a lot out of me. There was always someone in my family or friends by my side and in December of 2015 my counts were looking good and it appeared to be in remission.In June of 2016 the cancer came back only this time it was a fluid in my abdomen, there wasn’t any type of surgery that would remove it so I had to undergo a draining of the fluid about every week to 10 days.I then started a round of Chemo again and it seemed to take care of the fluid Cancer issue.My last treatment for this round was at the end of October 2016, with in a month I was having trouble breathing, the fluid had moved from my abdomen to around my left lung. Chemo had to be done again and will have to be on some kind of Chemo for the rest of my life.This Chemo is not working as well as the last time and it is taking much longer to dry up the fluid. Now, it seems, I have a hole in the lining around my lung from having the thoracentesis so many times I have a collapsed lung and will be having surgery. I am doing my best to keep a positive attitude so I can beat this thing once and for all. Some days are better than others and I could spend all day talking about this cancer but I am sure you know someone in your life who has dealt with what I am facing. As you can imagine we have spent our money on treatment and have received help from family and friends, however, we are still in the middle of this fight and the costs just keep coming. We are asking for donations to help us keep in the fight and would appreciate your help. We have created this Go Fund Me site to do just that fund our fight of this cancer. Finally I want to say I am not my cancer I am just someone dealing with cancer. Who I am is Kathy Dodds Ringgenberg I am married to a wonderful husband, Eldon for 24 years and have lived in my home for 23 years in the great city of Davenport Iowa, I have raised a daughter Tiffany Dodds, 40 who has done nothing but make me proud to be her mother. For the last 8 years I have worked for our boys protecting our freedoms and my husband is retired from truck driving. We have spent so many wonderful years together, Eldon and I and have built a life here enjoying the great moments that life has to bring. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I am Kathy Dodds Ringgenberg I have Cancer