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Doctors say if Southeast Texas woman sought treatment later, she would have had weeks to live

For months, she would wake up in the middle of the night crying from pain that she thought stemmed from a sore gum.

GROVES, Texas — A Groves woman is fighting for her life in a Houston area hospital after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer normally found in children.

Connie Ratley has been undergoing chemotherapy at MD Anderson for 10 days. Doctors told her that has she not sought treatment when she did, she may have only had weeks to live.

“This is scary. I don't know what's going to happen,” Ratley said. “It was so scary. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't realize how sick I was.”

Ratley said the cancer started in her gums and spread to her nose, neck and other parts of her body. At first, Ratley thought she was just suffering from a sore gum.

For months, she would wake up in the middle of the night crying from the pain.

After a routine visit to the dentist revealed the cancerous tumor in her mouth, Ratley confirmed it with an Otolaryngologist. Ratley was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer typically found in children.

“The day that I found out, I pretty much just kind of walked out of the doctor's office and bawled my eyeballs out,” Ratley said. “Doctor looks at me and was like, ‘You do realize you were so bad, that if we didn't do this now, this thing could've put you in the ground in weeks."

More on: Link to GoFundMe to help Ratley family with medical and living expenses

Including Rhabdomyosarcoma, Ratley has other health issues that she is dealing with.

“I have a fibriod on my uterus that keeps causing bleeding that won't stop, so I still [have to] get through this, the rest of this chemo, and then try to get a hysterectomy,” Ratley said.

Ratley works two jobs to support her family, so while she is grateful for the care she receives, being out of work has put her family in a tough financial situation.

“It's definitely interesting with my poor husband trying to be the only caregiver right now, I mean, be the only paycheck coming in," Ratley said.

Ratley’s hopes to be out of the hospital by Saturday. She said she is grateful for all the love and support from her community members.

“Just getting' through this and realizing, ‘OK, we're good, we're good, we're going to be OK,’” Ratley said.

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