Kaeleen’s Travel & Lodging expenses
Donation protected
Kaeleen Vivian Mayo
Kaeleen is a lifelong resident of Cantwell Alaska. At the age of forty one she is in the fight of her life to survive a disease few have ever heard of called Cushing's disease.This is not the first time Kaeleen has fought for her life. In 2013 at thirty four she overcame thyroid cancer. From 2007 to 2016 and into 2017 no matter what she did to fight it she gained weight. In 2015 Kaeleen developed a large blind spot in her peripheral vision. The doctor sent her for an MRI which discovered a large tumor on her pituitary gland. She traveled outside to the pituitary center in Seattle Washington. After tests the doctors told her she did not have Cushing’s disease or any other disease caused by her tumor. Kaeleen felt devastated.
She was sure she had Cushing’s. In 2019 Kaeleen’s health continued to deteriorate. She began advocating for herself. Looking back through her blood test results she was sure she found results that pointed to her having Cushing’s. She pushed her doctor to order more extensive tests and figure it out. In December she was finally diagnosed with the disease. Kaeleen felt angry at first. For fifteen years her doctors had failed to test her. Instead the would ask her
‘what are you eating?” “How much are you eating?” “Are you exercising?”. Insensitive questions that did nothing for her condition or self esteem. Their assumption was that her health problems were due to being overweight. In reality her weight gain was due to her tumor.
Things were looking up for Kaeleen. On August seventeenth Kaeleen was scheduled to have her tumor removed. When she awoke for the surgery she was told they did not remove her tumor. Her anesthesiologist has caused her lung to collapse. Devastated she started for home only to find herself in the emergency room with DVT’s in her left leg.
Today Kaeleen is trying to keep a positive attitude and working on regaining her health.
She still faces many challenges and expenses.
As a community I have never met so many caring and compassionate people as I have in Cantwell. If a neighbor breaks a leg the friends and neighbors pitch in to help them.
I know this covid thing has put a strain on everyone and money is tight but even if you don’t know Kaeleen you know she is part of your community.
Please consider making a donation to help her with expenses.
If you're not in a position to donate your prayers would be welcome.
Either way PLEASE share her story.
Anytime I hear of another person’s misfortune I think of Margaret Mead.
Anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture.
Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts. We are at our best when we serve others. Be civilized.
* David Parnell newsletter
This was written for Kaeleen by Bob Lamb, a truly compassionate man
Kaeleen is a lifelong resident of Cantwell Alaska. At the age of forty one she is in the fight of her life to survive a disease few have ever heard of called Cushing's disease.This is not the first time Kaeleen has fought for her life. In 2013 at thirty four she overcame thyroid cancer. From 2007 to 2016 and into 2017 no matter what she did to fight it she gained weight. In 2015 Kaeleen developed a large blind spot in her peripheral vision. The doctor sent her for an MRI which discovered a large tumor on her pituitary gland. She traveled outside to the pituitary center in Seattle Washington. After tests the doctors told her she did not have Cushing’s disease or any other disease caused by her tumor. Kaeleen felt devastated.
She was sure she had Cushing’s. In 2019 Kaeleen’s health continued to deteriorate. She began advocating for herself. Looking back through her blood test results she was sure she found results that pointed to her having Cushing’s. She pushed her doctor to order more extensive tests and figure it out. In December she was finally diagnosed with the disease. Kaeleen felt angry at first. For fifteen years her doctors had failed to test her. Instead the would ask her
‘what are you eating?” “How much are you eating?” “Are you exercising?”. Insensitive questions that did nothing for her condition or self esteem. Their assumption was that her health problems were due to being overweight. In reality her weight gain was due to her tumor.
Things were looking up for Kaeleen. On August seventeenth Kaeleen was scheduled to have her tumor removed. When she awoke for the surgery she was told they did not remove her tumor. Her anesthesiologist has caused her lung to collapse. Devastated she started for home only to find herself in the emergency room with DVT’s in her left leg.
Today Kaeleen is trying to keep a positive attitude and working on regaining her health.
She still faces many challenges and expenses.
As a community I have never met so many caring and compassionate people as I have in Cantwell. If a neighbor breaks a leg the friends and neighbors pitch in to help them.
I know this covid thing has put a strain on everyone and money is tight but even if you don’t know Kaeleen you know she is part of your community.
Please consider making a donation to help her with expenses.
If you're not in a position to donate your prayers would be welcome.
Either way PLEASE share her story.
Anytime I hear of another person’s misfortune I think of Margaret Mead.
Anthropologist Margaret Mead was asked by a student what she considered to be the first sign of civilization in a culture.
Mead said that the first sign of civilization in an ancient culture was a femur (thighbone) that had been broken and then healed. Mead explained that in the animal kingdom, if you break your leg, you die. You cannot run from danger, get to the river for a drink or hunt for food. You are meat for prowling beasts. No animal survives a broken leg long enough for the bone to heal. broken femur that has healed is evidence that someone has taken time to stay with the one who fell, has bound up the wound, has carried the person to safety and has tended the person through recovery. Helping someone else through difficulty is where civilization starts. We are at our best when we serve others. Be civilized.
* David Parnell newsletter
This was written for Kaeleen by Bob Lamb, a truly compassionate man
Organizer and beneficiary
Vivian Cotter Mayo
Organizer
Cantwell, AK
Kaeleen Mayo
Beneficiary
