06/24/2026
For any new comer ….
My name is Amy Ludwig. Back in November me and family spent the day at holiday world. Great day. I rode some roller coaster and like always they beat the crap put me. The day after I went to work and start experiencing chest discomfort. Not pain. I shoved it off as a pulled muscle. Weeks went by and it never got better. So I went to my family doc here in town and she too said it was probably a pulled muscle and gave me some muscle relaxers and told me to take Tylenol . A few more weeks went by. Started affecting my job. I was leaving work early or calling in do to the pain. My husband convinced me to go back to the doc cuz it got to the point it was effecting my sleep. I couldn’t lay flat. I was waking up with sharp pains crying it got so bad (I don’t cry). So I went back… the doc tried to feel my chest to see if she could feel anything or see where exactly the pain was…. Well I dropped in pain. Crying. The next day she had me scheduled for an X-ray. The xray didn’t show much but it did show a spot in my lung. So next apt was a ct scan with contrast. And it showed I had a tumor in my lung and was told it was most likely cancer. This was now the end of December. Next PET scan to see if the cancer was anywhere else and how bad. And to everyone’s shock…. It was bad! My mom and husbands face dropped ! My mom fighting back tears. The doc saying stage 4 cancer was the worst! It was in my bones( both hips, spine, and sternum ) . Which now we knew where my chest pain was coming from. And tracer everywhere! So after telling my family and friends the worst news I could possibly give. We started planning treatments! Got my port put in. Chemotherapy…. 3 rounds of 3 different treatments at the same time every 3 weeks. Proud to say I did my research and ordered some very expensive treatments for my hair and always washed my hair with very cold water. I’m proud to say I didn’t lose my hair! Didn’t even thin! And PET scan after PET scan…. My bones are back to normal! The mass in my lung is inactive and half the size! The joint and muscle pain from the chemo is still here and in full force and doc still wants me to do maintenance chemo treatment to keep it away. I’m debating on taking a break and trying to get this pain to subside. Haven’t decided yet. But I can honestly say this has been my worst year! Having death stare at you! Hearing ppl say “she’ll never get through this” , having what u thought were friends completely disappear, realizing the small things never mattered. Having a whole new look at life. Having days that you would rather die than continue feeling like that. Non stop crying…. A lot of crying. Not only because of the pain but because of the unknown and realization of how life is from here on out and wondering if or how long u have.. it’s mind boggling. And now to hear ur healing! So many emotions and now worrying if it comes back! But so thankful for the ones that were here! My husband .. never missed an apt, always taking off of work. Supporting me the whole way! Fetching my ridiculous wants.. and putting up with my unstable mind. (Poor guy) My daughter Chloe… my saint… literally my nurse and therapist through this all. The one who had to help me to the bathroom many times, help me with my meds, late nights talking through my nightmare, encouraging me to get up when I didn’t want to move. (Started going on walks daily) . She needs a halo! My boys always asking and making sure I was ok. Fetching my needs and helping me stand when I couldn’t. My mom.. calling and checking on me many times a day. Always there when I needed to talk. Fetching me my needs as well when nothing tasted good! And even my distant family that live states away and friends (especially Amy Cole and Judy ) who couldn’t really do much. Always checking on me and helping with fundraisers. Donating items and their time! It means so much! And has helped so much! I will forever be grateful for you all!! Not out of the woods yet but actually feeling hopeful!!
