Christina's Fight
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Christina's Fight is a FaceBook Page at the moment as we journalize this strugglegoing forward. We are looking for help in getting thru the months ahead, the following is the first journal entry of many more to come.
“As everyone may or may not know, breast cancer can be hereditary and certainly runs in Christina’s family, she lost an Aunt and grandmother to it, and her mother is a survivor with her own bout with the deadly disease. If you were to enter our kitchen and grab a coffee cup, various tumblers or review Christina’s wardrobe you will come across plenty of pink ribbon, breast cancer or the like paraphernalia. She has walked or run, in various events and been a proud supporter standing beside her survivor mother. Even her truck bares a pink ribbon for all to see.
No longer supporting from the outside, the monster disease has officially come knocking on Christina’s door. With the history already strong in her family, Christina has had mammograms scheduled every 6 months. Her last mammogram was in November and although they saw what appeared to be small cysts or calcification's, nothing alarming. However, in December, Christina started feeling pain in her left breast, she asked me to feel the spot and I could tell it was firm, not defined but I didn’t know what I was feeling. She called in to get a off-schedule mammogram, this was performed in April. At that scan there was nothing well defined or anything that stuck out to the specialist that would raise any flags, and they wanted Christina to wait three months for her next scheduled mammogram to see if there were any changes. As May progressed, the pain was more and more intense and a daily distraction from day to day activities, she called in again and insisted this be taken a closer look at. On May 28th, they performed a mammogram AND an ultrasound. The ultrasound saw a 3mm anomaly and a 10 x 7mm nodule within her left breast, very near the nipple, but not the primary area of her pain but certainly a sore spot. A biopsy was immediately scheduled for a few days later.
The biopsy happened on 6/4/2019 at 4pm. They went in and took core samples of both spots. The 2nd spot changed shape and partially collapsed, afterwards the performing surgeon (albeit incorrectly) reported that that spot was a cyst that burst, giving us a big sense of false hope that 50% of the spots were nothing to worry about. Now began the waiting game for the results. A meeting with the oncologist was scheduled for 6/12/19.
The call. Originally Christina missed the call, standard procedure these days when an “unknown” number hits your cell phone we all tend to ignore it. The voicemail however was directly from her doctor, Christina immediately called back and left a message for her Dr. to call back. I went in the living room and sat at my computer to watch Xbox Insider live from E2019 in Los Angelas, but I mentioned to Christina if she calls back come to the living room. We only waited maybe 10 minutes before the call came in. Christina rushed out to the kitchen counter, and put her cellphone on speaker as I listened in. The call started off with Christina apologizing for not answering the unknown number, her Dr. completely understood and asked Christina if she had a couple of minutes. I don’t know that either of us took a breath once Christina said she did. The Dr. really didn’t have any way to easily say it. The words rolled off her tongue, the tests came back positive from both spots; invasive lobular carcinoma. There were a few other sentences in there, a few words of encouragement and not wanting to overwhelm Christina at this time, even a touch of real sympathy in the Dr.’s voice. Mastectomy was mentioned, chemo, radiation… amongst other quick brushed over topics that would be the center of subject for conversation on Wednesday – we hardly heard most of the rest. Christina’s face went white. I still hadn’t taken a breath.
Shock hits first. Complete shock. We held each other, it might have been 2 minutes, it might have been 30, it didn’t matter. Tears snuck in there, sobs. My first breath.
Since then we made calls to family members and friends, her sister stopped by and we prayed. I immediately went to do what I tend to do best. I scoured the internet for everything and anything. I spent the next 8 hours straight reading everything I could on the entire subject and more hours today doing more of the same, including ordering books off amazon. Watching videos. Reviewing medical training pamphlets, watching survivor videos, reading medical exam records, pouring over scans, watching seminars… you name it. I can answer nearly any medical question you could possibly have on this style of cancer. I am already familiar with our most likely course of action, and the next 5 years on this road to helping Christina reach the title of survivor. And this still hours before we sit down with the Dr.”
This was Journal Entry #1 of our fight, I say ours because Christina will not be in the ring fighting breast cancer alone, she will have the support of myself, friends, her family and our combined extended family. Since this entry we have learned more, had Dr.’s appointments, plastic surgeon appointments and pre-op appointments still to come. July 12th is the 4-6hr hour bilateral mastectomy surgery. After that there will likely be chemotherapy pending the results from a deep dive pathology test of the removed tissue. There will be weeks, maybe months of physical therapy. We don’t know everything yet, and if you wish to follow the course of this journey with us – you can follow us on FaceBook at Christina's Fight
Christina is virtually a walking medical marvel at this point, having many major surgeries in the last 4-5 years. Two fusions in her back, a hysterectomy, a spinal stimulator and even a pain pump just so that she can “try” to live a normal life. She lives in constant pain and even the stimulator and pain pump aren’t enough to get thru some days. All the while raising one of the most brilliant little boys you could ever meet in Paxton. Who, as luck would have it, is going thru his own medical crisis with visits to Rileys Childrens hospital and overnight studies as they try to home in on his own struggle.
Christina was working for a local elementary school as a Teacher’s Assistant, a part-time job that gave her just enough additional income to still raise her child in a small apartment in a wonderful small community in Huntertown, Indiana. As most schools are closed during the summer, Christina’s income was to drop to nothing and she had hopes of finding yet another part-time job to get her thru the summer and into the fall school year. Then came this diagnosis. The surgery, the potential for chemo, the rehab, this will likely be at minimal a 6-month battle, and this isn’t taking into considering Christina’s additional physical ailments that may make this process which is already challenging that much more of a struggle.
She has reached out to many organizations that assist with medical financing and financial assistance for day to day expenses like rent, car payments and utilities. Luckily, her medical procedures are all covered and this will not be an issue. But the financial burden of her apartment, Paxton, her vehicle, utilities, phone and maybe even going out to dinner once in a while as an escape is a challenge. I have my own financial responsibilities and do my best to contribute what I can, but I wish more than anything to be able to hold her hand, give her my shoulder or hold her up during this process as much as I can. Even today she is at an appointment and I could not be there for her. There will be many days I will have to take unpaid days off and still be able to support my own children and at the same time hold her head above water as well. It would be nice to not have to worry about expenses, and just push forward on this journey. I would like to able to be there by her side at all the appointments. I wish she didn’t have to have the added concern on whether she can make ends meet, and still have a home to go to when she finally gets the title “Survivor”.
We have set the goal at a $1000 as that is the bare minimal GoFundMe will allow, but the journey will be long. Every little bit will help.
She is still smiling knowing the journey will be long, I want to keep her smiling throughout, the girl is worth it.
Thank you.
“As everyone may or may not know, breast cancer can be hereditary and certainly runs in Christina’s family, she lost an Aunt and grandmother to it, and her mother is a survivor with her own bout with the deadly disease. If you were to enter our kitchen and grab a coffee cup, various tumblers or review Christina’s wardrobe you will come across plenty of pink ribbon, breast cancer or the like paraphernalia. She has walked or run, in various events and been a proud supporter standing beside her survivor mother. Even her truck bares a pink ribbon for all to see.
No longer supporting from the outside, the monster disease has officially come knocking on Christina’s door. With the history already strong in her family, Christina has had mammograms scheduled every 6 months. Her last mammogram was in November and although they saw what appeared to be small cysts or calcification's, nothing alarming. However, in December, Christina started feeling pain in her left breast, she asked me to feel the spot and I could tell it was firm, not defined but I didn’t know what I was feeling. She called in to get a off-schedule mammogram, this was performed in April. At that scan there was nothing well defined or anything that stuck out to the specialist that would raise any flags, and they wanted Christina to wait three months for her next scheduled mammogram to see if there were any changes. As May progressed, the pain was more and more intense and a daily distraction from day to day activities, she called in again and insisted this be taken a closer look at. On May 28th, they performed a mammogram AND an ultrasound. The ultrasound saw a 3mm anomaly and a 10 x 7mm nodule within her left breast, very near the nipple, but not the primary area of her pain but certainly a sore spot. A biopsy was immediately scheduled for a few days later.
The biopsy happened on 6/4/2019 at 4pm. They went in and took core samples of both spots. The 2nd spot changed shape and partially collapsed, afterwards the performing surgeon (albeit incorrectly) reported that that spot was a cyst that burst, giving us a big sense of false hope that 50% of the spots were nothing to worry about. Now began the waiting game for the results. A meeting with the oncologist was scheduled for 6/12/19.
The call. Originally Christina missed the call, standard procedure these days when an “unknown” number hits your cell phone we all tend to ignore it. The voicemail however was directly from her doctor, Christina immediately called back and left a message for her Dr. to call back. I went in the living room and sat at my computer to watch Xbox Insider live from E2019 in Los Angelas, but I mentioned to Christina if she calls back come to the living room. We only waited maybe 10 minutes before the call came in. Christina rushed out to the kitchen counter, and put her cellphone on speaker as I listened in. The call started off with Christina apologizing for not answering the unknown number, her Dr. completely understood and asked Christina if she had a couple of minutes. I don’t know that either of us took a breath once Christina said she did. The Dr. really didn’t have any way to easily say it. The words rolled off her tongue, the tests came back positive from both spots; invasive lobular carcinoma. There were a few other sentences in there, a few words of encouragement and not wanting to overwhelm Christina at this time, even a touch of real sympathy in the Dr.’s voice. Mastectomy was mentioned, chemo, radiation… amongst other quick brushed over topics that would be the center of subject for conversation on Wednesday – we hardly heard most of the rest. Christina’s face went white. I still hadn’t taken a breath.
Shock hits first. Complete shock. We held each other, it might have been 2 minutes, it might have been 30, it didn’t matter. Tears snuck in there, sobs. My first breath.
Since then we made calls to family members and friends, her sister stopped by and we prayed. I immediately went to do what I tend to do best. I scoured the internet for everything and anything. I spent the next 8 hours straight reading everything I could on the entire subject and more hours today doing more of the same, including ordering books off amazon. Watching videos. Reviewing medical training pamphlets, watching survivor videos, reading medical exam records, pouring over scans, watching seminars… you name it. I can answer nearly any medical question you could possibly have on this style of cancer. I am already familiar with our most likely course of action, and the next 5 years on this road to helping Christina reach the title of survivor. And this still hours before we sit down with the Dr.”
This was Journal Entry #1 of our fight, I say ours because Christina will not be in the ring fighting breast cancer alone, she will have the support of myself, friends, her family and our combined extended family. Since this entry we have learned more, had Dr.’s appointments, plastic surgeon appointments and pre-op appointments still to come. July 12th is the 4-6hr hour bilateral mastectomy surgery. After that there will likely be chemotherapy pending the results from a deep dive pathology test of the removed tissue. There will be weeks, maybe months of physical therapy. We don’t know everything yet, and if you wish to follow the course of this journey with us – you can follow us on FaceBook at Christina's Fight
Christina is virtually a walking medical marvel at this point, having many major surgeries in the last 4-5 years. Two fusions in her back, a hysterectomy, a spinal stimulator and even a pain pump just so that she can “try” to live a normal life. She lives in constant pain and even the stimulator and pain pump aren’t enough to get thru some days. All the while raising one of the most brilliant little boys you could ever meet in Paxton. Who, as luck would have it, is going thru his own medical crisis with visits to Rileys Childrens hospital and overnight studies as they try to home in on his own struggle.
Christina was working for a local elementary school as a Teacher’s Assistant, a part-time job that gave her just enough additional income to still raise her child in a small apartment in a wonderful small community in Huntertown, Indiana. As most schools are closed during the summer, Christina’s income was to drop to nothing and she had hopes of finding yet another part-time job to get her thru the summer and into the fall school year. Then came this diagnosis. The surgery, the potential for chemo, the rehab, this will likely be at minimal a 6-month battle, and this isn’t taking into considering Christina’s additional physical ailments that may make this process which is already challenging that much more of a struggle.
She has reached out to many organizations that assist with medical financing and financial assistance for day to day expenses like rent, car payments and utilities. Luckily, her medical procedures are all covered and this will not be an issue. But the financial burden of her apartment, Paxton, her vehicle, utilities, phone and maybe even going out to dinner once in a while as an escape is a challenge. I have my own financial responsibilities and do my best to contribute what I can, but I wish more than anything to be able to hold her hand, give her my shoulder or hold her up during this process as much as I can. Even today she is at an appointment and I could not be there for her. There will be many days I will have to take unpaid days off and still be able to support my own children and at the same time hold her head above water as well. It would be nice to not have to worry about expenses, and just push forward on this journey. I would like to able to be there by her side at all the appointments. I wish she didn’t have to have the added concern on whether she can make ends meet, and still have a home to go to when she finally gets the title “Survivor”.
We have set the goal at a $1000 as that is the bare minimal GoFundMe will allow, but the journey will be long. Every little bit will help.
She is still smiling knowing the journey will be long, I want to keep her smiling throughout, the girl is worth it.
Thank you.
Fundraising team (2)
Brian Clementoni
Organizer
Huntertown, IN
Christina Andersen
Team member
