Medical and Living Expenses

Hey friends,

Have you ever worked with someone that brings their best every single day while never letting anyone know that they were struggling with health issues? The type of person that would never ask for help from anyone, even amidst a true battle just to live and provide for her family as a single parent? I have been working with such a person for a year and a half and below is her remarkable story! Please consider reading this and helping her if you can. Every little bit can add up to make a huge difference in her and her son's life.

"In Dec 2017, I was diagnosed with stage IIIB invasive lobular breast cancer. After going through so many scans, biopsies- I was told my best options were to have a bilateral mastectomy, 16 cycles of chemotherapy and 32 rounds of radiation. Being a single mom, all I could think of was how to always be there for my son. I did all that was recommended. The surgeries started in February 2018 and did not stop until June 2019. When other cancer warriors say the words “hard” or “difficult” going though surgeries, chemotherapy and radiation - this words do not do any justice… most especially if you mainly have to go through it alone - with a young child. Yes, I have family that came and helped, and I am beyond thankful… but they have their own families to take care of and I was too ashamed to ask for any help.

In October 2018 - one week before my 41st birthday, I went in for a PET Scan and several hours later, I was given one of the best news - Your scan revealed no evidence of residual cancer.

For about 3yrs, I was trying to live each day to the fullest… until summer 2021. I started to experience the weirdest pain in my bones; most especially in my hips. It felt as if the bones were sharp like blades and each time I’d walk or move, they felt as if they were digging a deep hole in my other bones. I was told to have a bone scan done immediately. And once again, one week before my 44th birthday, I was now diagnosed with stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer because it had metastasized to my bones… I was advised to see orthopedic surgeons, start daily oral chemotherapy meds, monthly injections and radiation… My world turned upside again and was spiraling out of control - all the while, trying to stay calm for my son… Stage 4 cancer is not what anyone wants - any stage of any cancer. All I want to do is to as long as I can to provide the best life I can for my son, as he is my world.

The chemotherapy pills gave minimal side effects to the point where I could almost be normal everyday- radiation on the other hand was not as easy as it was before… now they were radiating multiple areas - mainly my hips, my knees, my spine and my neck… Having radiation to your neck - was extremely difficult as it also shrunk my soft tissues making it painful to eat. I also lost my sense of taste. The only think that was palatable was oatmeal and for some odd reason, Ricolas. In one month I had dropped 22 pounds. I was extremely hungry but could not find anything that I can eat more than one bite of. Thankfully, after a few weeks radiation was done, things started to feel somewhat normal again.

But of course my story doesn’t end there… in Summer of 2023, I noticed my stomach looked very distended and when laying on my right side, I was having a difficult time breathing. I was advised to get a PET scan done ASAP. They told me results would come in 3 days - I got mine the day after… was told it has now spread to my liver and lungs and some soft tissue surrounding my stomach. I was advised to start chemotherapy in a few weeks - Taxol, one day a week… I thought to myself, I can do this because I did Taxol last time during the 2nd part of chemotherapy in 2018… I totally jinxed myself. The first two cycles of Taxol went fine… the 3rd cycle , I experienced my first allergic reaction to it - I think what scared me the most that time was when I couldn’t feel my face and could not breathe… the 4th cycle creeped up on me - I felt a slow squeezing of my neck and then I couldn’t breathe… oncologist said no more Taxol for me…

I was given a new option called Enhertu. I just did my first cycle and all went well… but it has been difficult- more than difficult as I’m experiencing a very hard time breathing and I am feeling very fatigued. It’s hard to stand at the kitchen sink to wash a bowl or to stand at the stove to even boil water. My son, who is now 16 - has been by my side and it breaks my heart to have him see me go through all of this… I try not to cry too loud at night so I don’t wake him - but he hears me and helps me for hours to find a way to ease my pain… I feel so bad because even though I tell him it’s ok, he won’t leave my side knowing he only has 2 more hours to sleep before he has to get ready for school. I feel like I’m failing him as a mother because I have not been able to cook a meal for my son in weeks, and he needs things for school and I cannot afford to give him what he needs… I have been paying what I can towards bills and I worry that our electricity will be shut off. As the weather has been getting very cold, I don’t turn on our heater because it will be too expensive. It’s just so much… the other night, I was in so much discomfort and my anxiety was getting the best of me and I couldn’t help but cry out to God because I felt like giving up… on the other side of my door, I can hear my son crying and I have not heard him cry that way in so long…"