Help Shelby with Medical bills

Thank you from Shelby-
“To say I am beyond thankful is an understatement. With the money raised I am able to pay off all of the outstanding medical bills. I will be putting the additional money into my HSA for any future expenses. This fundraiser has brought much needed relief. Paying off these bills helps put this unfortunate experience in my past and I feel like I can move towards a positive, healthy, future. I am astounded by the words of encouragement, the texts, the calls, and the countless well wishes. I cannot thank you all enough. I never imagined this GoFundMe would amount to all it has. To know there are so many people out there who care enough to donate has brought me to tears several times since the first donation. I strongly encourage everyone to advocate for themselves when they know something is wrong. Go to that Doctor appointment. Talk to your friends and family. Never second guess your gut and how you feel, and never feel ashamed to ask your doctor questions. Thank you to my wonderful friends and family for all you have done for me. I appreciate and love you all. -Shelby”

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Update: Thanks to the generosity of so many we surpassed our goal this morning! Shelby is beyond thankful for every one of you! She was speechless every time a new donation came in. She will be able to pay off her remaining debt with the money raised, and plans to save any leftover money for any bills from future scans and procedures. 

It is unfortunate she had to go through this at all. But the kindness all of you have bestowed with your words and contributions overshadowed the worst of times. 

Thank you all for helping a truly wonderful person. 

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Hello everyone, we are asking for help in raising money for our friend Shelby Logan’s medical bills. Over the last year, Shelby has endured several health issues including a severe stomach illness, rapid unexplained weight loss, and kidney cancer. She has attended countless doctor appointments, has been through multiple procedures, and ultimately underwent surgery in conjunction with several hospital stays.
 Shelby is an amazing, selfless person who is always willing to help others. She has been through an extremely difficult time over the last several months and we are hoping we can give back to her to help ease the burden of the accruing medical debt. We understand times are tough and appreciate any donations as they will go a long way.

 Shelby’s story:
 In January of 2022 Shelby began experiencing stomach issues that impacted her ability to eat and retain food. By June she started to lose significant weight while battling daily nausea and vomiting. She was prescribed anti-nausea medication that only made her symptoms worse. She went for a series of tests and bloodwork that revealed she had become severely anemic and her red blood cell levels were very low. Over the next few months she was sent to a Hematologist and a GI Doctor, but did not receive any answers or relief for her worsening issues. An outstanding friend, who is a Nurse, recommended she get ultrasound to check for any potential GI blockages, so she did.
On September 22nd she received an ultrasound with the hope of identifying the cause of the problem. Unfortunately, she left that appointment with more questions than answers after a mass was discovered in her right kidney. On September 29th Shelby went for a CT scan that showed the mass was likely Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), kidney cancer. On October 25th Shelby met with a Urologist who told her there was a strong probability the mass was cancerous. On November 23rd Shelby met with a Surgeon regarding the 1.8cm mass. She was told there was an 80% chance the mass cancerous and was offered several options for treatment. The best course of action,citing a high likelihood of success, was determined to be a partial robotic nephrectomy where the mass would be fully removed. Understanding that this was her best choice she scheduled surgery for Feb 6th 2023.
 On November 25th, two days after her probable kidney cancer diagnosis, her stomach issues came to a head when she ended up in the ER due to severe abdominal pain and vomiting. Her stay in the Hospital was difficult and painful, as she had become severely dehydrated and her bloodwork returned worse than before. After spending a few days on heavy antibiotics, steroids, and only being given ice chips to eat she was sent home. Test results later revealed she had a small intestine infection that went undiagnosed for nearly a year. On December 6th she went through additional GI tests that confirmed this diagnosis and eliminated some others. Additional bloodwork showed that her iron had not improved as needed, so she began a series of iron infusions on January 20th 2023. These infusions helped prepare her for the February surgery.
 On Tuesday February 6th Shelby underwent surgery to remove the mass in her kidney. The operation was successful and the mass was removed. Shelby was discharged from the hospital that same week. She was left with 6 medium size incisions along her right side and was in immense pain for several days. Shelby spent the next 3 weeks at home, and out of work, recovering and healing. On February 8th, two days post op, pathology reports confirmed the mass was Stage 1 Kidney cancer. Thankfully, this was followed by a positive prognosis with no need for chemotherapy or radiation. In June she will begin scans and tests that will continue for the next 5 years to ensure these issues never occur again.
 It has since been determined Shelby’s stomach ailments and kidney cancer were not related. Thanks to her amazing friend’s recommendation to get an ultrasound the kidney mass was spotted and removed. This ultrasound proved to be lifesaving. Shelby’s Doctors are optimistic that she will continue a positive road to recovery. We share this same belief and know Shelby will continue to heal and do well. We are astounded by her strength and resilience through her difficult journey over the last year.
In total, Shelby’s medical bills have exceeded $70,000 over the last few months alone. Some bills have yet to arrive and that total is expected to increase. Thankfully, her health insurance has covered a good portion of the unexpected debt, however, there is an outstanding balance of approximately $5,000 that she has begun to make payments on while transitioning back to work.
 Shelby is not the type of person to ask for help, so we are asking on her behalf. Through her ordeal Shelby was as tough as they come and maintained a positive attitude the entire time. We want to help her continue that positive mentality as she recovers. Any donation amount is greatly appreciated and will be applied to Shelby’s medical bills.
 Thank you for your generosity. Andy & Hadley