Teri’s Fight
Donation protected
As told by my mom, Teri:
“There are over 100 different types of Breast Cancer, all requiring different types of treatments, etc. The first time I was told in Feb 2016, was in person by my surgeon, and I held it together until I got in my car, then sobbed and screamed and pounded on my steering wheel.
A year later I was a survivor. After a long year of instense chemo and radiation that caused me to lose my hair after the first round and landed me in the hospital, almost dying but fought back and survived. I was clear!!
Then just 6 months later after extensive tests, I got the phone call from a most compassionate doctor who told me it had metastasized into the top of my hip bone, called the Iliac Crest and it was eating away a large portion of my bone already from the inside out. My tumor is the size of a tennis ball and is demolishing my bone. Then after another month of extensive tests, on Oct 25, 2017, my oncologist told my daughter and I, in person, that it is Stage 4, Metastatic Breast Cancer with the exact hormone receptors I had before, that had manifested itself in my bones. I was to start Radiation immediately everyday for 2 weeks. (I finished that) Then I’m to meet back up with oncologist, who will be brand new bc my old one has left town. He will then discuss the Chemo that I have to have. At first I was upset about new doc, but then realized this will be my 2nd opinion without having to travel. I have not posted what else we were told that day, because I have had a horrible time wrapping my head around it and accepting it. He said I have to have chemo “the rest of my life, which might be 2 years”.
So, TWO YEARS?!?
I'll be honest, the reason I have not posted this update is that I just couldn't find the right words, and I didn't want to sound all whiney and negative, so trying to glean as much hope as possible, and it has been hard.
My head is swirling in information from all kinds of people, do this, do that, and many of them are opposite of each other, so which to do??? There is one common denominator, and that is eating healthy, vitamins and supplements, herbs, etc. AND a positive mental attitude!
I have chosen to definately go forward with the chemo, yes, I AM going to have the chemo, BUT I am also going to supplement this with as much natureopathic remedies that I can afford. Some I've looked at so far are so far out of my budget they are totally out of reach for me. Insurance does not pay for that. Asked about financial aid from them, and they are all out. So trying to figure out what to do on my own. It's tiring. It's confusing. And even just buying organic fruits and vegetables for juicing is SO expensive, don't know how long I can keep that up, but I'm trying. I start my first day of chemo again on Friday.
I've been in a dark hole for the last 2 weeks, yes looking up towards the light, but unable to crawl to the surface.
Then a few days ago, the most kind hearted friend had me listen to his new song, The Fight, on his facebook page, and he told me to never give up hope and keep fighting. THEN last night he told me of an offer, from one of his friends that was totally unexpected, out of the kindness of his heart. I was in tears, yet it gave me a spark of light and hope in my heart I hadn't felt in a while. And to them I owe them a huge thank you.
My attitude now is that I can beat this. I beat it once, and even though bone cancer is a whole lot more serious, being “incurable” ... who's to say I cannot beat this too? How many times have we heard of someone given 2 years to live, and 20 years later, they're still kickin? Why can't I be one of those. I believe in miracles. Have I ever given up before in my life? Am I a fighter? YES, you know I am.
So here we go... on yet another journey... with a positive mental attitude and prayers of so many. ❤ I MUST spend many more years with my children and grandangels, and I WILL if I have any say in it! :)”
My mom is single and lives alone. She has to work in order to have insurance so she can have some of it covered. If it makes her as sick as last time, she will not be able to work and going on medical leave/disability only pays a fraction of what her pay normally is. If she does not work she has no way to pay her medical bills, which are astronomical already. She has no way to pay her mortgage. She has no way to buy her medicine. She has no way to pay for her groceries. She has to work and if she cannot work she needs some help to be able to rest and be able to regain strength after each dose of chemo. To top it all off her car just went into the shop so while she is trying to pay for that, she is now not able to put that money aside for when she needs it. Chemo for “the rest of her life” is a very expensive road. I would give anything to have her be able to not work and to be taken care of and to not have any other added stress to her life. She normally runs an air b&b out of her home but obviously she can’t leave or have people staying with her during this time. This loses a ton of income as well. She has always given us all she had and more. She has my brother and I and her grandbabies to fight for. We would be lost without her and want her having no stress as we start down this path again on Friday.
Every little bit helps along with your prayers and well wishes.
She has a lot to fight for!!




“There are over 100 different types of Breast Cancer, all requiring different types of treatments, etc. The first time I was told in Feb 2016, was in person by my surgeon, and I held it together until I got in my car, then sobbed and screamed and pounded on my steering wheel.
A year later I was a survivor. After a long year of instense chemo and radiation that caused me to lose my hair after the first round and landed me in the hospital, almost dying but fought back and survived. I was clear!!
Then just 6 months later after extensive tests, I got the phone call from a most compassionate doctor who told me it had metastasized into the top of my hip bone, called the Iliac Crest and it was eating away a large portion of my bone already from the inside out. My tumor is the size of a tennis ball and is demolishing my bone. Then after another month of extensive tests, on Oct 25, 2017, my oncologist told my daughter and I, in person, that it is Stage 4, Metastatic Breast Cancer with the exact hormone receptors I had before, that had manifested itself in my bones. I was to start Radiation immediately everyday for 2 weeks. (I finished that) Then I’m to meet back up with oncologist, who will be brand new bc my old one has left town. He will then discuss the Chemo that I have to have. At first I was upset about new doc, but then realized this will be my 2nd opinion without having to travel. I have not posted what else we were told that day, because I have had a horrible time wrapping my head around it and accepting it. He said I have to have chemo “the rest of my life, which might be 2 years”.
So, TWO YEARS?!?
I'll be honest, the reason I have not posted this update is that I just couldn't find the right words, and I didn't want to sound all whiney and negative, so trying to glean as much hope as possible, and it has been hard.
My head is swirling in information from all kinds of people, do this, do that, and many of them are opposite of each other, so which to do??? There is one common denominator, and that is eating healthy, vitamins and supplements, herbs, etc. AND a positive mental attitude!
I have chosen to definately go forward with the chemo, yes, I AM going to have the chemo, BUT I am also going to supplement this with as much natureopathic remedies that I can afford. Some I've looked at so far are so far out of my budget they are totally out of reach for me. Insurance does not pay for that. Asked about financial aid from them, and they are all out. So trying to figure out what to do on my own. It's tiring. It's confusing. And even just buying organic fruits and vegetables for juicing is SO expensive, don't know how long I can keep that up, but I'm trying. I start my first day of chemo again on Friday.
I've been in a dark hole for the last 2 weeks, yes looking up towards the light, but unable to crawl to the surface.
Then a few days ago, the most kind hearted friend had me listen to his new song, The Fight, on his facebook page, and he told me to never give up hope and keep fighting. THEN last night he told me of an offer, from one of his friends that was totally unexpected, out of the kindness of his heart. I was in tears, yet it gave me a spark of light and hope in my heart I hadn't felt in a while. And to them I owe them a huge thank you.
My attitude now is that I can beat this. I beat it once, and even though bone cancer is a whole lot more serious, being “incurable” ... who's to say I cannot beat this too? How many times have we heard of someone given 2 years to live, and 20 years later, they're still kickin? Why can't I be one of those. I believe in miracles. Have I ever given up before in my life? Am I a fighter? YES, you know I am.
So here we go... on yet another journey... with a positive mental attitude and prayers of so many. ❤ I MUST spend many more years with my children and grandangels, and I WILL if I have any say in it! :)”
My mom is single and lives alone. She has to work in order to have insurance so she can have some of it covered. If it makes her as sick as last time, she will not be able to work and going on medical leave/disability only pays a fraction of what her pay normally is. If she does not work she has no way to pay her medical bills, which are astronomical already. She has no way to pay her mortgage. She has no way to buy her medicine. She has no way to pay for her groceries. She has to work and if she cannot work she needs some help to be able to rest and be able to regain strength after each dose of chemo. To top it all off her car just went into the shop so while she is trying to pay for that, she is now not able to put that money aside for when she needs it. Chemo for “the rest of her life” is a very expensive road. I would give anything to have her be able to not work and to be taken care of and to not have any other added stress to her life. She normally runs an air b&b out of her home but obviously she can’t leave or have people staying with her during this time. This loses a ton of income as well. She has always given us all she had and more. She has my brother and I and her grandbabies to fight for. We would be lost without her and want her having no stress as we start down this path again on Friday.
Every little bit helps along with your prayers and well wishes.
She has a lot to fight for!!
Organizer and beneficiary
Tosha Lipe Nanni
Organizer
Klamath Falls, OR
Teri Starbuck
Beneficiary
