My Horrific Medical Expenses
Donation protected
My name is Natalie. I am a deaf woman, substitute teacher at the local school for the deaf, and mother of 2 boys with college expenses I'm paying for (one is in graduate school to become a pastor). I will have been married for 31 years this August to my husband Richard, also deaf, who is a full time teacher of technology applications at the school for the deaf. We both are heavily involved as volunteers for our Church of the Deaf.
In the fall 2011, I noticed a lump in my left breast. I had a mammography exam. It did not show up clearly. Then I had a sonogram and waited for six months for a follow up (as my doctor directed). The follow up exam detected the change of the tumor. The biopsy result was positive; I was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer.
In March 2012, I had lumpectomy surgery to remove the tumor from my breast. The operation went well, but I needed 5 days of internal radiation therapy (using a balloon-catheter device). It appeared that was successful, however, we noticed my surgery incision was not healing properly as a side effect of the radiation. I had to receive special wound care where I had to put tubes for a shoulder carry vacuum into my breast to remove excess fluid for six weeks. The incision took nine months to heal after extra care and regular, (expensive) visits to a specialist.
After my husband's medical insurance paid their part of the expenses, the remaining balance is $9,200, on top of the debt we already have from both of my sons' schools; not to mention the lost work due to appointments, treatments, surgeries and recovery time. I am unable to handle the remaining medical expenses I have incurred so far. To top it all off, my husband is now scheduled to meet with a specialist to check into a growth on his nose, which our general practitioner thinks may be cancerous.
Anything you could give to help us keep our heads above water with all the medical bills would be blessing.
May God bless ya'll,
Natalie Norton
In the fall 2011, I noticed a lump in my left breast. I had a mammography exam. It did not show up clearly. Then I had a sonogram and waited for six months for a follow up (as my doctor directed). The follow up exam detected the change of the tumor. The biopsy result was positive; I was diagnosed with stage one breast cancer.
In March 2012, I had lumpectomy surgery to remove the tumor from my breast. The operation went well, but I needed 5 days of internal radiation therapy (using a balloon-catheter device). It appeared that was successful, however, we noticed my surgery incision was not healing properly as a side effect of the radiation. I had to receive special wound care where I had to put tubes for a shoulder carry vacuum into my breast to remove excess fluid for six weeks. The incision took nine months to heal after extra care and regular, (expensive) visits to a specialist.
After my husband's medical insurance paid their part of the expenses, the remaining balance is $9,200, on top of the debt we already have from both of my sons' schools; not to mention the lost work due to appointments, treatments, surgeries and recovery time. I am unable to handle the remaining medical expenses I have incurred so far. To top it all off, my husband is now scheduled to meet with a specialist to check into a growth on his nose, which our general practitioner thinks may be cancerous.
Anything you could give to help us keep our heads above water with all the medical bills would be blessing.
May God bless ya'll,
Natalie Norton
Organizer
Natalie Deike Norton
Organizer
