Spinal Fusion and Cancer Surgeries
Donation protected
My life has taken a forever detour, one that has put me on a rough road and it's not going to be an easy road either. It's one with many twists, turns, and challenges, with multiple health diagnoses in the last 4yrs and things are only getting worse unless I can get to the specialist Dr's who work with my rare uncurable conditions, genetic disorders, as well as several other diagnoses which complicates things and make me a "mecically complicated patient" which many drs do not want to work with. I often get turned away with no help and I want my life back even if it is just 75%, I'll be thankful and take it, but I really would like to have 99-100% back, be able to be independent and do the things I used to be able to do without restrictions, like be in and tend to my flower gardens, drive, work again, as well as be able to pay it forward more. That is where you as my support family come in. In order to get to these specialists there are a lot of financial expenses, like traveling, lodging, meals, medical, and physical things that I need your help with especially with an upcoming spinal neck surgery in Maryland where I will need somone to go with me to help me after the hospital until I am healed enough to fly/travel home and a double mastectomy breast cancer surgery(back in Mich.) both this year. While I know not everyone can participate financially, everyone can participate! Along with the financial there is always a need for prayers, encouraging notes, poems, sayings, & pictures (even if it is one colored/drawn by your child, grandchild, or just a child you know, lol, or even yourself), flowers/plants, animals (but only stuffed or keychain type, not real, lol), letters/cards in the mail, even if it is just the little things (they matter too and are just as important and heartfelt), a small gift tucked away in my suitcase, a home cooked meal or a meal out/time with friends, and many more that I can't think of right now, but most anything that comes to your mind that helps to brighten or encourage someone's day.
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
by Winston Churchill.
"When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there."
~Unknown Author
This page from here down is under construction for adding new diagnosis and upcoming surgery information, so please be patient as I construct and put together the new information for my upcoming spine surgery as well as breast cancer surgery. You can also go to the updates pages and view more recent events and happenings. Thank you for being patient as I work on this new description as a lot has happened and many more diagnoses have been made since I first began this page. It has not been easy, but we (my dog and I) are hanging in there and doing the best we can to deal with it.
Many of my conditions are either rare, genetic, and otherwise, making the combinations of conditions complicated to treat me and many, many drs turn me away calling me "too complicated", and they don't want to deal with it, including primary care drs. With your help, support groups about these conditions on Facebook, and lots and lots of research that I am having to do, I have finally been able to find Drs who treat these rare, challenging, yet uncurable conditions plus the others and don't turn me away for being "too medically complicated". People travel from all over the world to come see these specialist drs, so I know I am in good capable expert hands.
4yrs ago...
A little over a year ago I was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation. Chiari is a congenital brain/spine condition in which the cerebrum herniates out of the skull and into the spinal canal putting pressure on the spinal cord and brain stem as well as blocking the cerebral spinal fluid flow to & from the brain. It causes all kinds of neurological problems. Some of my many symptoms are:
Pressure in the head - sometimes with aching, chronic neck pain & tension, back pain - upper and lower, memory loss / confusion / comprehension struggles, sensory loss / decreased sensation in extremities, problems gripping & holding on to items, always dropping things, muscle weakness, stiffness & pain, tingling & numbness in extremities, head, and face, fatigue, cardiac issues, dizziness, balance problems, degraded motor skills, nausea - gets worse as pain or pressure goes up.
Chiari Malformation is only treatable with brain surgery or symptom management, there is no cure.
Due to this condition my doctors told me that I could not continue working my job as an in home daycare provider and so I had to quit my dream job of owning a daycare in my home, something I dreamed of since I was little. So at this time I have no income. I am single so I have no spouses income to rely on either. The bills & collection letters are pilling up.
I am trying my best to deal with it, but it's not easy. I am just trying to take One Day At A Time...and taking to heart this quote that I came across while doing some research of the Chiari condition. It reads:
If God brings you to it,
He'll see you through it.
-unknown
I was raised in a wonderful Christian home. Both my parents were teachers as well as held many other positions in the community and my dad was a volunteer fireman for over 35 years. We didn't have much, but we made do with what we had. Through the years my family has helped many people in the church and community. We helped with everything from needing a ride, help with repairs(my dad was very handy), food on the table, a place to stay, or even just a listening ear as well as many more. Which brings to mind, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." by Winston Churchill.
I continue in the same manner as my parents did to help others, but now it is I that is in need of some help. I am receiving some food assistance but that is all. I have tried to get assistance with medical bills, housing and so on, but because I have no dependants I do not qualify for Department of Human Services programs. I'm embarrassed to ask, but I need help.
Surgery is the only treatment available to slow the progression of damage to the spinal cord, brain stem, nerves and brain.
Sometimes more than one surgery may be needed to treat the condition, time will tell. The medical expenses for one surgery alone will easily stretch into the thousands of dollars even with insurance. Then add in there recovery time, which doctors say can be any where from 1-2 years or more. Bills & collection letters will pile up even more, so even the smallest of donations will help. I had my surgery February 12, 2013, but am having a hard time with recovery and not able to work. While the financial strain of it all is one of my biggest needs and concerns, I also understand that not everyone will be able to help financially, but everyone can do something. You can donate your time or hands, whether it be for help with household chores, snow that needs shoveling, and come spring the yard mowed and flower beds tended to(and yes I will share my flowers with you) or whatever else the need may be. And that's not all. You can also take the time to share the link to this fundraiser with a family member, friend, or even a complete stranger. Then there is even those little things like a prayer, a note of encouragement, or a phone call just to say hi. They may seem like small things to some, but to me they are huge.
Which ever way it is you help, know that you are making a difference in a life that has been altered forever.
When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there. ~Unknown Author
Thank you so much, for taking the time to read this and help. All funds raised, unless otherwise designated by the giver, will be used to pay, medical bills, lodging expenses, and transportation that my insurance will not cover, basic living expenses while recovering, and any other needs that may arise due to my medical condition. I have also created a wish list of items that would help make my hospital and recovery times easier, less painful, and as well help me keep you updated.
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give."
by Winston Churchill.
"When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there."
~Unknown Author
This page from here down is under construction for adding new diagnosis and upcoming surgery information, so please be patient as I construct and put together the new information for my upcoming spine surgery as well as breast cancer surgery. You can also go to the updates pages and view more recent events and happenings. Thank you for being patient as I work on this new description as a lot has happened and many more diagnoses have been made since I first began this page. It has not been easy, but we (my dog and I) are hanging in there and doing the best we can to deal with it.
Many of my conditions are either rare, genetic, and otherwise, making the combinations of conditions complicated to treat me and many, many drs turn me away calling me "too complicated", and they don't want to deal with it, including primary care drs. With your help, support groups about these conditions on Facebook, and lots and lots of research that I am having to do, I have finally been able to find Drs who treat these rare, challenging, yet uncurable conditions plus the others and don't turn me away for being "too medically complicated". People travel from all over the world to come see these specialist drs, so I know I am in good capable expert hands.
4yrs ago...
A little over a year ago I was diagnosed with Chiari Malformation. Chiari is a congenital brain/spine condition in which the cerebrum herniates out of the skull and into the spinal canal putting pressure on the spinal cord and brain stem as well as blocking the cerebral spinal fluid flow to & from the brain. It causes all kinds of neurological problems. Some of my many symptoms are:
Pressure in the head - sometimes with aching, chronic neck pain & tension, back pain - upper and lower, memory loss / confusion / comprehension struggles, sensory loss / decreased sensation in extremities, problems gripping & holding on to items, always dropping things, muscle weakness, stiffness & pain, tingling & numbness in extremities, head, and face, fatigue, cardiac issues, dizziness, balance problems, degraded motor skills, nausea - gets worse as pain or pressure goes up.
Chiari Malformation is only treatable with brain surgery or symptom management, there is no cure.
Due to this condition my doctors told me that I could not continue working my job as an in home daycare provider and so I had to quit my dream job of owning a daycare in my home, something I dreamed of since I was little. So at this time I have no income. I am single so I have no spouses income to rely on either. The bills & collection letters are pilling up.
I am trying my best to deal with it, but it's not easy. I am just trying to take One Day At A Time...and taking to heart this quote that I came across while doing some research of the Chiari condition. It reads:
If God brings you to it,
He'll see you through it.
-unknown
I was raised in a wonderful Christian home. Both my parents were teachers as well as held many other positions in the community and my dad was a volunteer fireman for over 35 years. We didn't have much, but we made do with what we had. Through the years my family has helped many people in the church and community. We helped with everything from needing a ride, help with repairs(my dad was very handy), food on the table, a place to stay, or even just a listening ear as well as many more. Which brings to mind, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." by Winston Churchill.
I continue in the same manner as my parents did to help others, but now it is I that is in need of some help. I am receiving some food assistance but that is all. I have tried to get assistance with medical bills, housing and so on, but because I have no dependants I do not qualify for Department of Human Services programs. I'm embarrassed to ask, but I need help.
Surgery is the only treatment available to slow the progression of damage to the spinal cord, brain stem, nerves and brain.
Sometimes more than one surgery may be needed to treat the condition, time will tell. The medical expenses for one surgery alone will easily stretch into the thousands of dollars even with insurance. Then add in there recovery time, which doctors say can be any where from 1-2 years or more. Bills & collection letters will pile up even more, so even the smallest of donations will help. I had my surgery February 12, 2013, but am having a hard time with recovery and not able to work. While the financial strain of it all is one of my biggest needs and concerns, I also understand that not everyone will be able to help financially, but everyone can do something. You can donate your time or hands, whether it be for help with household chores, snow that needs shoveling, and come spring the yard mowed and flower beds tended to(and yes I will share my flowers with you) or whatever else the need may be. And that's not all. You can also take the time to share the link to this fundraiser with a family member, friend, or even a complete stranger. Then there is even those little things like a prayer, a note of encouragement, or a phone call just to say hi. They may seem like small things to some, but to me they are huge.
Which ever way it is you help, know that you are making a difference in a life that has been altered forever.
When it hurts to look back, and you're scared to look ahead, you can look beside you and your best friend will be there. ~Unknown Author
Thank you so much, for taking the time to read this and help. All funds raised, unless otherwise designated by the giver, will be used to pay, medical bills, lodging expenses, and transportation that my insurance will not cover, basic living expenses while recovering, and any other needs that may arise due to my medical condition. I have also created a wish list of items that would help make my hospital and recovery times easier, less painful, and as well help me keep you updated.
Organizer
Melody Cox
Organizer
Spring Arbor, MI
