Kamina's Medical Bills

I was diagnosed with colon cancer in 2011 at age 29. When you're that young you don't have much savings, and what I had was drained early. My friends threw a benefit selling arts and crafts that helped with a small portion of the bills. My mom refinanced her house to help me. My husband cashed out early on a 401k taking a huge penalty for doing so.  Keeping me alive has been a financial burden on the people I love most.

I'm now in my 4th year of remission, but in order to stay in remission I require a procedure to remove polyps that are constantly growing in my intestines. If I don't have them removed every two years, they will grow into tumors and I'll have cancer again. Recently, a federal law  changed all insurance policies, and the colonoscopy that prevents a recurrence of cancer is no longer covered by insurance.

I had my routine colonoscopy, CAT scan, bloodwork and checkups all done in January and I have worked nearly every day, whether it's fighting the insurance companies, applying for charity (the paperwork alone took a month, a ream of paper, $25 of printer ink, and $20 in postage), or trying to talk the hospitals and clinics into lowering my bills. I did not have any success with the insurance company; because they could not possible care less if I died tomorrow. I did qualify for a slightly reduced bill from my gastroenterologist and a payment plan on my colonoscopy.

A severe pain in my hips has my oncologist concerned and he thinks it is a side effect of the radiation I had in that area. He wants to do a bone scan to see the extent of the damage, and my insurance won't cover it. At this point I haven't even looked into what that will cost because I can't afford to pay what I already owe right now. My oncologist also wants me to start physical therapy right away, and that's at least $80 out of pocket for each session. I applied for charity for assistance on this and I'm still waiting to hear back. If my last applications are any indication, I will receive little to no help. We exist on the income line just a hair above receiving financial aid, where we can't get help, and we owe all of the bills.

What I'm asking for from you won't cover the bone scan or the physical therapy I need. What I'm asking for is to help cover a portion of what I already owe, so that I can begin to move forward with what I still need to do. Thank you for reading. Thank you for your generosity.

Update: Anything received beyond the goal will go toward my much needed bone scan and physical therapy.