2021 Warrior: Sue Ramler
In February 2020, while on vacation, Sue started to feel ill. At the time she thought she had just caught some kind of bug. Towards the end of her trip she began to notice that her skin was starting to turn yellow in color and she had mild stomach pain. When Greg and Sue returned from their trip, Sue went in to get checked out. They found that her gallbladder needed to be removed as well as a stone that was stuck. During this procedure she also had a stent placed near her pancreases for a narrowing in the duct. Little did they know, this was the first of many tests and procedures. At that time, they did see a mass and did a biopsy. The biopsy sample was small, but what they did test was benign and we were all relieved. Sue was scheduled to go to the Mayo clinic to have a couple of stents replaced and get a second opinion about the mass. Sue had a few appointments at the Mayo Clinic the week before Memorial day weekend.
The following Tuesday, at another appointment, Sue and Greg were told that the mass was in fact Pancreatic Cancer. That evening they gathered all the family to tell us this news. The news was heartbreaking for us all. Although we were all in shock and completely devastated by this news, we all knew that we weren’t giving up and that we would do whatever we could to help fight the cancer. We were originally told that Sue’s cancer was only a stage 2 or 3, which is good news considering that most people are stage 4 by the time they are diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Doctors told Greg and Sue that she would start with chemotherapy, then hopefully move to radiation, and if everything went right – a possible surgery to remove the cancer (best case scenario). This news gave us all hope and helped up all remain optimistic. We prayed that the treatments would work and that she would feel well throughout her treatments.
There were good and bad days along the way, but Sue remained positive and kept on smiling! Anyone who knows Sue, knows that she is always happy and lives her life to the fullest. She truly values her family and friends. Even during the not so great days, Sue tried to enjoy the little things and see a few close family and friends, with some distance and masks, as Covid was also a hurdle.
After a few months, Sue became very ill and could not eat. After many weeks, multiple doctor appointments, and testing they found out that they needed to do another surgery to place a stent below her stomach, so that she was able to eat again. At this time, she stopped responding to the first line chemotherapy, but she was determined to continue to fight with the second line treatment.
There have been many ups and downs since Sue’s diagnosis back in May 2020 and Covid made it even more difficult because we (her family) couldn’t be there with her during almost all of her treatments, appointments, surgeries, and hospitalizations. It has been heartbreaking to watch Sue continually fight for more time and not be able to be there for her in her lowest points. We are thankful for technology. We are fortunate to be able to call and do video chats with her to try to brighten her days when we are unable to be with her.
The worst news came at the end of November when doctors at both the Mayo Clinic and St. Cloud told Sue that there was nothing more that they could do for her because the cancer was spreading and there were no other treatments to try. We have been blessed with time that some people don’t get to spend with the ones we love most. We were able to enjoy baking cookies together, playing games and spending time together on Christmas, celebrating Sue’s 57th birthday in January together, and going to their family cabin up north. These are memories we will always cherish and we are hopeful that we will make many more memories in the months ahead.
Although we all know that we have limited time, Sue and the rest of the family are not giving up. Sue continues to try natural remedies. She eats a healthy diet, when she is able to eat. She does acupuncture, chiropractic care, laser therapy, and is currently using a RIFE machine to give her comfort. Through pain, and lack of appetite, Sue continues to shine and bring “Joy” to those around her! Sue is trying to enjoy life, show love to those around her, and brighten rooms with her smile and laughter. Sue and the rest of the family are so grateful for the outpouring of love that Sue has received since her diagnosis! Through cards, texts, gifts, and prayers, it is easy to see the amazing community Sue has surrounded herself with. We have been blessed with amazing family and friends! Our family continues to pray every night that God will heal her! We are praying for a miracle!
During the month of March a portion of the proceeds from shopping all INDY gear and apparel will go directly to Sue and her family. Shop now and be sure to mention Sue in the comments section at checkout.
You may also donate and 100% will go to them.