Harvesting Eggs Due To Chemotherapy
Donation protected
Unfortunately, just this past month on June.11 while on a work trip I developed a lump on the side of my throat that scared me straight to the neareast ER. As happens more often than not I was brushed off to a nurse, told to keep a eye on it and if it swelled up come back. Sent on my way with an empty diagnosis of lypoma which is a benign tumor of fatty tissue. Which any typical physician knows takes time to grown, not just pop up like this baseball sized lump on my neck.
I completed my work out of town and flew home immediately to Miami Fl to meet with my primary care physician Dr.Breton.
Within minutes of my first visit he ordered the tests necessary to find out what this was.
An appointment was scheduled immediately with a hematologist for just a few days later.
Well, my body had different plans. The following day Thursday, June.25 the inflamation got worse and spread into my chest cavity. Terrified, I was admitted into Baptist Hospital for the next 10 days.
The torture of medications and testing began non stop. Sometimes I didn't know if I was awake or sleeping. All I remember is pain, weakness and being wheelchaired from CT scan to biopsies to PET Scans, MRI's and endless blood work of all kinds.
My veins were so weak and thinned out that the IV's kept dropping so they had to surgically insert a semi-permanent catheter into my chest that is still in there now until further notice.
The preliminaries began as doctor after doctor came in explaning the results of their specialty.
At some points I felt like I was watching in on the conversations. Like being on auto-pilot in complete silence wondering how this could all be happening.
After hearing EVERYTHING I could possibly be told at that point about my condition of Hodgkin's Lymphoma my first thought was how the chemotherapy would affect my fertility. My Oncologist is recommending 12 cycles of chemotherapy (once every 2 weeks) then mentioned the chances are a 50% loss of fertility. A chance I am not willing to take. Some people want to grow up and have careers; I was born to be mother.
Now for the problem...since it is a choice and not a requirement my health insurance is not legally required to cover the procedure. The medication runs between $2300-$3500 then the actual harvesting of my eggs and freezing process will be an additional$7500-$8500
Due to the fact that the cancer has infected the lymph nodes in my neck and chest causing stiffness and pain I can no longer return to my normal working/touring schedule. Making it extremely stressful to figure out a way to make all this happen while trying to keep it together enough for the family around me not to worry more.
For those of you that know me, you know that I would never ask for help unless I absolutely needed it. Well, my doctors visits, procedures and medication costs are drowning me with what seems like no end.
To all my family, friends and fans: Thank you for any help you can contribute to keeping my dream alive for becoming a mother one day.
I completed my work out of town and flew home immediately to Miami Fl to meet with my primary care physician Dr.Breton.
Within minutes of my first visit he ordered the tests necessary to find out what this was.
An appointment was scheduled immediately with a hematologist for just a few days later.
Well, my body had different plans. The following day Thursday, June.25 the inflamation got worse and spread into my chest cavity. Terrified, I was admitted into Baptist Hospital for the next 10 days.
The torture of medications and testing began non stop. Sometimes I didn't know if I was awake or sleeping. All I remember is pain, weakness and being wheelchaired from CT scan to biopsies to PET Scans, MRI's and endless blood work of all kinds.
My veins were so weak and thinned out that the IV's kept dropping so they had to surgically insert a semi-permanent catheter into my chest that is still in there now until further notice.
The preliminaries began as doctor after doctor came in explaning the results of their specialty.
At some points I felt like I was watching in on the conversations. Like being on auto-pilot in complete silence wondering how this could all be happening.
After hearing EVERYTHING I could possibly be told at that point about my condition of Hodgkin's Lymphoma my first thought was how the chemotherapy would affect my fertility. My Oncologist is recommending 12 cycles of chemotherapy (once every 2 weeks) then mentioned the chances are a 50% loss of fertility. A chance I am not willing to take. Some people want to grow up and have careers; I was born to be mother.
Now for the problem...since it is a choice and not a requirement my health insurance is not legally required to cover the procedure. The medication runs between $2300-$3500 then the actual harvesting of my eggs and freezing process will be an additional$7500-$8500
Due to the fact that the cancer has infected the lymph nodes in my neck and chest causing stiffness and pain I can no longer return to my normal working/touring schedule. Making it extremely stressful to figure out a way to make all this happen while trying to keep it together enough for the family around me not to worry more.
For those of you that know me, you know that I would never ask for help unless I absolutely needed it. Well, my doctors visits, procedures and medication costs are drowning me with what seems like no end.
To all my family, friends and fans: Thank you for any help you can contribute to keeping my dream alive for becoming a mother one day.
Organizer
Stephanie Hird
Organizer
Miami, FL
