Debi Needs You!

Hello,

I am writing this on behalf of my wife Debi.  Debi and I have owned a small "mom and pop" cleaning business in Longview Texas for about 7 years now. 

Debi has spent most of the last 7 years trying to make the lives of her clients and East Texans easier.  Helping them manage their cleaning duties in some homes up to 4,000 square foot. 

Now, I must ask for people to help my wife Debi.  For the last 13 months (April 2016) Debi has been experiencing "clear random nipple discharge" from her left breast.  Unfortunately, Debi for about 9 1/2 months of this time believed this to be related to menopause.  Then one day about 15 weeks ago Debi was talking to one of our cleaning clients.  She disclosed that she had fought Stage 1 breast cancer.  Her symptom "random nipple clear discharge".  Debi immediately asked about any other symptoms.  Debi had started experiencing some pretty bad nausea around December of 2016.  And then about a month later she started having pretty bad fatigue.  Feeling "tired" but, not sleepy.  Around the time of talking to our client that had breast cancer previously Debi's fatigue increased dramatically.  Debi has experienced several weeks now of cleaning sometimes only one property and then coming home and going straight to bed.  Sleeping some days as much as 15-17 hours. 

The moment our client mentioned her symptoms we came home and immediately started researching breast cancer and called the Susan G. Komen Foundation in Tyler Texas.  Having a small service business we do not have health insurance.  One of the sacrifices Debi has made in order to continue having the business.  As part of consulting with the Komen Foundation we were able to consult a medical professional from UTHC Cancer Center in Tyler.  Debi described her symptoms and we were told that this was "VERY worrisome and troubling".   Unfortunately, the Komen Foundation does not help people from Upshur county.  So we were sent to Wellness Pointe in Longview Texas.  This was unfortunate turn in the process. 

Debi was enrolled in the Texas Breast and Cervical Services program.  And if you live in Upshur county you are sent to Regional Hospital.  This is where our problem began.  Regional did a 3-D mammogram and ultrasound.  Discovered two cysts (they did not order a biospy).  They told Debi that Regional Hospital "does not recognize clear nipple discharge as a breast cancer symptom".  This floored us.  It is a common breast cancer symptom and at this point (11 weeks into the process) we had talked to several people related to breast cancer in the medical field that said it MOST DEFINITIELY is related to breast cancer. 

The issue we have is because Regional Hospital does not recognize this as a breast cancer symptom they will NOT do any further testing.  Several medical professionals had warned us that Debi has symptoms of DCIS (ductal cancer) or Paget's disease (both a form of breast cancer).  Also, warning us that a 3-D mammogram and ultrasound while part of the process was VERY likely to miss the cancer if it is ductal. 

Debi's OB GYN did in fact order further testing and Regional Hospital cancelled it.  The radiologist said this was his own "personal choice". 

Long story short now the BCCS program has failed my wife.  With no insurance we desparately need to have a breast MRI, ductogram, and several other tests done. 

Debi's health has got progressively worse in the last 15 weeks are so.  Extreme fatigue, daily nausea, deep back ache (this is a fairly unknown but, valid breast cancer symptom), a family member (her uncle) had prostate cancer (UTHC has informed us there is a genetic relation between prostate cancer and breast cancer)(Regional did not know this?), bruises are now not healing (a sign of cancer), itchy nipple, there is a small lump under the nipple (Regional could NOT find this)(a Good Shepherd doctor found it), change in breast shape, and soreness in the left underarm. 

As you can see Debi has not one symptom of breast cancer but, basically every commonly known symptom and not so commonly known symptom.  Regional Hospital in Longview is the ONLY hospital we have consulted that does NOT recognize "clear random nipple discharge" in a 53 year old woman as a breast cancer symptom.  We even had one surgeon say "it was her number 1 red flag symptom".  However, since Regional is tied to the breast cancer program we are now stuck with no way to proceed with testing.  Our doctor in Longview will do a referral to any hospital of our choosing however, we now have to pay out of pocket for any further testing. 

We have had 3 different hospitals check Debi for various possible ailments.  Including ruling out heart disease or lung cancer.  This has been financially crippling as those visits came out of pocket stripping us of our savings.  We are also having to turn in our business car as we can no longer afford to maintain the payment with all of the doctor expenses. 

We do not know if Debi has breast cancer however, we do know something is horribly wrong with Debi.  Debi no longer is able to live day to day in the same energetic manner as even a few months ago.  Full of life and spirit.  Debi day to day is a shell of herself.  Something is bringing her health down.  And down quickly.  We ask for your help before it is too late for her to come out the other side. 

Debi has so many to live a long life for.  Her 3 beautiful daughters and 6 grandchildren.  And many fur-babies. 

I just need my wife to be healthy again. 

After over 3 months of simply trying to get a diagnoses we are now asking for help.  We just can not wait any longer to find out what is wrong with Debi. 

Please help with whatever you can.  It would be much appreciated. 

Thank you for reading this.

Larry and Debi Rhodes