Alabama’s Ovarian Cancer Car Tag Produced In Memory of Brittany Waldrep

Brittany Waldrep

BIRMINGHAM, AL—The Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation announced today a check presentation made payable to UAB’s GYN Oncology department in the amount of $48,000 raised through Alabama’s newly produced, “Drive Out Ovarian Cancer” car tag, the first ovarian cancer research car tag in the nation. The presentation is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on September 25th, at UAB Highlands, 1201 11th Avenue South.

Supporters of the tag, including First Lady Patsy Riley, Former First Lady Marsha Folsom, the Birmingham Auto Dealers Association, local cancer groups, friends and family, are ecstatic to announce the tags are now available at local courthouses throughout the state.  “We’re counting on more people to select the “Drive Out Ovarian Cancer” car tag when their tag is up for renewal, and of course, continue to choose the tag year after year to keep funding renewable,” says Brett McBrayer, President of the BADA. The Birmingham Auto Dealers Association contributed more than $35,000 to help others afford the car tag.

September 25th marks a day of remembrance for a local Birmingham family who assisted in passing the research car tag in memory of their beloved daughter and sister, Brittany Waldrep who lost her life to ovarian cancer in July of 2006. Stacy Waldrep Miner, comments, “We’re so pleased to present this check to Dr. Ronald Alvarez as a tribute to Brittany and to all who have lost their lives to this disease and their loved ones. We also wish for this check to bring about hope to those who are still fighting.”

The Norma Livingston Ovarian Cancer Foundation has contributed over 300,000 in research monies to date to UAB Hospital.  Tiffany Denson, Executive Director of the Norma Livingston Foundation says, “We are blessed to have such a leading research institute like UAB in our backyard. The doctors and researchers within the Gyn/Oncology Dept. are dedicated to saving the lives of their patients, as well as women everywhere”.

We Love Our Britt Britt

Brittany fought all night long, but this morning when I arrived she still was still in pain and vomiting even with the NG tube in. My Mom said her Dilauded dosage wasn’t lasting 15 minutes, and on Monday night I was calling for it ever hour. Our chief nurse Dianne kept trying to help her, but we couldn’t get the pain medicine high enough or make her comfortable. Dr. Cantrelle saw her in this state and ordered a morphine drip. The dosage in the morphine drip had to be bumped up today as well. Dr. Barnes told my Mom yesterday that her medicine is so high her heart may stop from it. Brittany is now sleeping more than she is awake and is no longer in pain. I feel a lot of agony in typing this.
There is a mass caused by cancer that has developed, and it is next to her kidneys. We will get a pin put in externally to perserve her kidney and relieve the lower back pain she’s having. This procedure will not be painful and will help her. Hopefully it will relieve her enough that we can come back down on the pain medicine. Chemo is still scheduled as of now, and there is still a chance that chemo will kick in. Her white blood cell count is extremely low, so we’re still a little way from knowing when she will be able to do another round of chemo.

The family is also meeting tomorrow to discuss our options moving forward. Brittany hasn’t been living a life since she was diagnosed. She hasn’t eaten food in over a month, and she recently told me numerous times that she just wants to go home. Her pain is relentless. Brittany’s been crying to go home the last few days. Maybe we will be able to take her home and keep her on the drip with everything she needs while we explore what we can do to reverse things.

I’m not going to be able to update the website for a few days. I still have hope and faith in God that having the pin put in will relieve her pain enough that she can come down from the morphine, and we can try a new chemo. I just love her so much, and I don’t understand any of this. Brittany is God’s child, and she is still very much alive and our precious girl. Please keep praying hard for Brittany. We will never give up on her. Please pray to God for a Miracle.

Britt will stick with same chemo treatment

Dr. Cantrelle was hopeful to see major results within 24 hours of Brittany’s chemo and we have not but Dr. Barnes doesn’t want us to be discouraged. Dr. Barnes sent off a portion Brittany’s mucinous tumor to find a chemo that would work on it. Some types of her cancer have been sensitive to Carbo/Taxel has while others are completely resistant. Dr. Barnes and Dr. Cantrelle agree we must give her two rounds before thinking about another type. This chemo is hard on her so we have to wait another 8-10 days before she can have it again.

Britt’s pain makes it nearly impossible for her to speak during the night. I think the sunlight helps her in the morning. We’re all very worried about her. Dr. Barnes is going away to a convention this week so I am hoping he will be discussing Brittany’s condition on his trip, and I am sure he will be. Brittany’s touched us all and we all want to save her life.

Stacy is giving me some more pics to put up on the web so I hope to have those up soon! Thank you so much for your constant support and for your prayers.

I received a kind email from Brittany’s friend Nat Nat (Natalie) encouraging me to not lose faith in Brittany’s healing and I am asking you all to please do the same.  Brittany would not lose faith in any of us and I know God is shining a light on Brittany, even in her darkest pain.

Britt is having a better day…

Brittany had a rough night last night and was running a fever.  My Mom came up to the hospital, and her fever broke a little while later. Britt was doing better by 4 a.m., and she is continuing to do better today.

Friday and Saturday went very well.  There were positive signs by the way Brittany was sleeping comfortably on her back, drinking plenty of liquids, and talking frequently.  Saturday morning Britt and I listened to Fleetwood Mac and drank hot tea.  We reminisced about high school, and later that day my Dad sent over a masseuse, so Brittany had a facial and a head massage!

Sunday the doctors increased her pain medicine.  A side effect from chemo is aches and pains, and she came off her steriod, so we’re hoping some of her pain is due to that.  Her potassium levels are low, so she started to receive potassium with her tpn.

I wish I had better news to deliver for Brittany.  All we can do is continue praying that her cancer will shrink from chemo and that she will not be in pain.

Stacy is looking forward to being able to come back to the hospital tomorrow after being quarantined, so I know Britt will be way glad to see her!

Britt has completed 1st round of new chemo…

Brittany has completed this round of chemo and so far she’s not experiencing side effects.  Dr. Cantrelle met with her this morning and told her that she may be sore tomorrow when she comes off her steroid but right now she’s looking good. 

Brittany did not get into pain last night (thank goodness) and she actually slept some too!  Britt can now go 3-4 hours between dilauded now that we have increased dosage.  The medicine makes her pretty out of it.  Dr. Cantrelle said that this chemo should show signs that it’s working within a day which is great because we don’t have to wait a week like we did for her past two regiments.  Dr. Cantrelle asked Britt if there was anything more he could do for her and she said, “you might want to fix your tie because it’s wrapped around your stethoscope.”  He looked down and burst out laughing!  He hadn’t noticed until Britt Britt pointed it out.  Brittany’s getting hungry again and she’s trying out all sorts of drinks in her brand new Superman mug!  She’s now able to have cold things again since we’re 10 days out from Oxaliplatin.  Cold cider, Grapico and Sprite are some of the drinks she really enjoys!  Thank you so much for praying for our Britt! 

Britt takes new chemo through the night

We increased Brittany’s pain medication yesterday (Wed.), and we doubled it today to give Britt more comfort. Now Britt’s doing much better managing her pain.  She’s a little out of it which is probably a good thing because Dr. Barnes is preparing us for negative side effects, so we’ll see.

Dr. Cantrelle is adminstering the chemo through her picc because her port can so easily cause infection.  We’re only going to run her TPN through her port for now.  We want to see immediate relief from this chemo.  Side effects are worth it if it will just shrink the cancer and give Brittany relief.  Sister Ann Marie said a prayer with us, and she asked that Jesus heal Brittany as He healed the woman who faithfully touched His cloak in search of healing. Have faith that Jesus will heal Brittany too.

Britt starts new chemo treatment tomorrow

Brittany will start her new chemotherapy treatment tomorrow. I have never talked percentages or statistics so I’m not about to start now but there is good news. Dr. Cantrelle believe’s there is a slightly higher success rate with this chemo than what we would see by adding Avastin to her current chemo. Dr. Cantrelle is also worried that Avastin will open her wound up more.

I believe the name of the new chemo is Carbo/Taxel which is Carboplatin plus Palitaxel. Again, please don’t quote me on the spelling! It’s used to treat ovarian cancer. Britt’s current chemo works well for colon cancer. You’ll remember that her cancer originated from a left ovary tumor that was removed two years ago. Her cancer spread for two years which resulted in it taking on the appearance of a gastrointestinal cancer.

Stacy is sick and is trying to get better so she can help with Brittany. Please keep her in your prayers too so she can get well quickly for Brittany.

This chemo just has to be the one. We need Brittany to be relieved of her obstruction so food can pass through her digestive tract. She’s not doing so hot right now but her attitude is up.

Brittany did end up eating that orange jello yesterday…two bowls! Britt’s is ready and fighting to beat cancer. Everything is in order. We are just praying for her digestive tract to pick up the pace and for her cancer to diminish from the new chemo. Lets pray for this to be the one!!!

Chemo treatments and self tanner

Dr. Barnes is still evaluating Brittany to see if we should change chemo treatments. He wants her digestive tract to begin working within the next 24 hours. He will also check her CA 125 levels and give her a CAT scan later on this week. Hopefully we will know our next course of action by this weekend. Brittany is ready to leave the hospital. She had a rough night last night but this morning was awesome. We flipped through magazines, I put self tanner lotion on her legs (nothing dark we don’t want to scare people) and we watched a lot of tv. Brittany has also started drinking a lot of liquids and today she saved her orange jello from the tray. She didn’t eat her orange jello but she did save it which I feel like is a good thing. Stacy and I have a lot of theories on what we think is good and bad but it’s in God’s hands and I have so much hope in just knowing that. Speaking of God…

Britt Britt loves all of her Bible verses! The winners are: (drum roll) Dayle, Rodney, Stephanie, Susan, Pat and Darlene! Thank you so much for sending her your verses! Brittany is not sure which verse is the one that came to her but I am guessing that it is:

“Cast thy burden upon the LORD, and he shall sustain thee: he shall never suffer the righteous to be moved.”

Psalm 55:22

Right now we’ve written Isaiah 41:10 on Brittany’s board.

So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

Many more people left verses on her comment page that will be great for her to read as well!  Thank you!

Britt has her port! Name that verse!

Britt’s surgery went well!  Her port is in and she says she’d like a cold glass of milk tonight so we’ll see if Dr. Cantrelle will approve that for her.  I think Dr. Barnes and Dr. Cantrelle are considering trying a new chemo if her colon doesn’t start fully working this week.  This is a big move.  Please pray for her two rounds of chemo to be killing the cancer cells.  Britt is so thankful not having any of the negative side effects from chemo.  I pray that F-5U, Oxaliplatin will work so we can stick with it and add Avastin to the mix.

Britt mentioned a Bible verse that came to her mind recently.  It was about giving up your burdens to God.  She said it came to her and she couldn’t completely remember it.  I know what she’s talking about.  It’s the verse about handing over all of your worries and stress and hardships to God and just trusting Him. Now which book is that in?  If you can name that verse, you’ll get a nice surprise!  Meaning, I’ll post the verse on this site and write it on Britt’s board in her room.  I don’t have time to be around buying nice surprises…;-)

Britt’s weekend highlights and port placement:-)

It was a long weekend for Brittany.  Friday night went very well. She slept a lot and went longer between her pain medicine.  There’s a movie called “White Christmas” that all of us really love.  Britt woke up during the night for her vital check and I started singing one of the songs to her because it was stuck in my head.  She started singing the song “Counting my Blessings” also from the movie and it was a really cool moment.  I decided I had to get my hands on a copy of “White Christmas” for Brittany.   

Saturday, Brittany asked for her NG tube to be removed so she could try to go on without it. The NG tube is what keeps Brittany in the hospital.  Brittany fought it for about six hours straight. Saturday night ended up being very hard on Brittany and I think it was the worst night ever for my Mom.  Brittany had a possible reaction to finnergan in combination with another one of her medicines and she became extremely disoriented. Brittany was so sick without her NG tube so Dr. Cantrelle met with Brittany and she decided to have it placed again.  Bless her heart because she fought so hard but maybe next time that attempt will be the one that lasts.  

Sunday was a much better day!  My Dad’s pastor, Dr. Steve Jones. prayed with Brittany.  Brittany’s pastor, Dr. Lovett, and Dr Jones check in on Brittany every now and then.  She is so sick that it is hard on her to have visitors.  I want to share part of this conversation though because it is so sweet.  Steve (he makes us call him Steve;) asked Brittany what her day consists of.  Brittany told him that depending on the day my Mom will wash her hair and sometimes she’ll go for a short walk then nap.  Dr. Jones (I can’t do it!) asked Britt if she ever considered writing a book.  Brittany says she would like to get better and write her story.  I told her she’s an inspiration people.  When Steve told Britt Britt that it was okay to be angry and upset Brittany responded, “I don’t see any point in complaining.  I mean it could be a lot worse. Complaining won’t help anything.”  Dr. Jones and I looked at each other and I don’t know what was going through his head but what was going through mine was, “how on earth could this be worse?!”  Later on, John brought by “White Christmas”, “The Bishop’s Wife” and one more that his Mom contributed to our old movie pool! 

Today, Dr. Barnes will surgically place Brittany’s port so I will write an update later.  Dr. Alverez told Brittany to keep the faith and we all are!  Brittany needs more chemo and we need to add Avastin to mix soon.  Please pray for a great surgery today for Brittany.  Brittany will get relief from the port. Britt’s would is healing so well that hopefully we can add Avastin to the next chemo round.  Brittany is an incredible fighter!!!