This is my aunt. Her name is Thuan Le. She is only 56, turning 57 in two days. She was diagnosed with Stage III Non-Small Squamous Cell Lung Cancer this past April. Since April, her world has turn upside down yet she is able to stay in good spirits-- telling us stories of her past and sometimes morbidly laughing about her future. She was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer that is usually found in heavy smokers, however, she has never smoked a single cigarette in her life.
Her symptoms began with some pain, coughing, extreme lethargy, and weight loss. She initially lost 20 pounds in one month, but thought nothing of it. She figured she was finally losing the weight that she had been trying to lose for some time. It wasn't until she began coughing blood when she got alarmed and went to the doctors. She eventually got a CT scan and they found a tumor the size of an orange on her right lung. It was biopsied and diagnosed as cancer.
After some thought and persuasion, she decided to move out to California to get treatment from UCLA - ranked number 9 for cancer nationwide. She has been here for one month now, living with my parents and commuting back and forth from Orange County to Los Angeles for her medical needs. At UCLA, they found a small tumor had metastasized to her brain. She went under radiation to attack the brain tumor and is finally going to start chemotherapy this week.
In the one month she has been with us in California, she has lost even more weight, now almost 40 pounds total. She has many fevers throughout the day and cannot sleep through the night because of the coughing and pain. We think the tumor is compressing her nerves and is causing her to have extreme discomfort and pain.
Her husband and two daughters are still in Oklahoma trying to pay the bills while she is here receiving treatment. Sadly, her cancer is very aggressive and her time with us is sort of unknown. With all this, she is still smiling and trying to stay positive. She is truly an inspiration.
I pray that God delivers us a miracle, but if it is not in His plans, I pray that she can sleep, that the pain doesn't take over what is left of her life, and that her family can reunite with her to spend each day with her.
Here is my aunt Thuan with her two daughters, Vivian and Lanchi.
(If you are interested in booking a portrait session, I will be giving 100% of photography fee to help pay my aunt's medical bills. Space each month is limited so booking in advance is helpful.)
Her symptoms began with some pain, coughing, extreme lethargy, and weight loss. She initially lost 20 pounds in one month, but thought nothing of it. She figured she was finally losing the weight that she had been trying to lose for some time. It wasn't until she began coughing blood when she got alarmed and went to the doctors. She eventually got a CT scan and they found a tumor the size of an orange on her right lung. It was biopsied and diagnosed as cancer.
After some thought and persuasion, she decided to move out to California to get treatment from UCLA - ranked number 9 for cancer nationwide. She has been here for one month now, living with my parents and commuting back and forth from Orange County to Los Angeles for her medical needs. At UCLA, they found a small tumor had metastasized to her brain. She went under radiation to attack the brain tumor and is finally going to start chemotherapy this week.
In the one month she has been with us in California, she has lost even more weight, now almost 40 pounds total. She has many fevers throughout the day and cannot sleep through the night because of the coughing and pain. We think the tumor is compressing her nerves and is causing her to have extreme discomfort and pain.
Her husband and two daughters are still in Oklahoma trying to pay the bills while she is here receiving treatment. Sadly, her cancer is very aggressive and her time with us is sort of unknown. With all this, she is still smiling and trying to stay positive. She is truly an inspiration.
I pray that God delivers us a miracle, but if it is not in His plans, I pray that she can sleep, that the pain doesn't take over what is left of her life, and that her family can reunite with her to spend each day with her.
Here is my aunt Thuan with her two daughters, Vivian and Lanchi.
(If you are interested in booking a portrait session, I will be giving 100% of photography fee to help pay my aunt's medical bills. Space each month is limited so booking in advance is helpful.)
