Kathy's Stage 4 Breast Cancer Fight
Donation protected
I’ve started this GoFundMe page for my strong, loving and beautiful mom Kathy.
My mom is 60 years young, a single parent of 3 adult children and is currently fighting stage 4 breast cancer. I am making this page on her behalf.
My moms journey began back in late 2016 we just didn't know it yet. My mom went in to her primary doctor for pain in her left breast, she had a mammogram done which came back as dense breast tissue that needed follow up mammogram. The follow up mammogram came back as breast cyst, which mom had had her entire life but never this painful or large. She was told that these breast cyst and the pain were just something she would have to live with. In October of 2017 my mom noticed a bump on the left left side of her neck that followed with pain in her armpit. She went back to her doctor who ordered an immediate biopsy. This biopsy came back cancerous. A few days later we saw a surgical oncologist who confirmed it was Breast cancer that had spread to nearby lymph nodes.
After the diagnosis there was a flurry of Dr. appointments and scans, and on November 14th, 2017 it was confirmed Stage 4 Breast cancer. The cancer had spread from her left breast to her left and right lymph nodes, lymph nodes in her chest and trachea, and a small met in her lung. Again, a flurry of biopsies occurred. All Biopsys came back as Estrogen(ER) positive and Progesterone(PR) and HER2 negative. Hearing all of this was very hard on all of us especially mom because it meant that our lives were going to be changing fast, but being the woman that she is, mom just wanted to continue the fight and keep the faith and positivity. Next was figuring out moms best treatment plan. Mom first started with 5 rounds of radiation treatments on her left neck lymph nodes to try and provide some pain relief and give back mobility, since it was incredibly uncomfortable for her to even have a shirt rubbing on her neck, much less a seatbelt in the car. The Radiation treatments provided much needed relief as well as shrinking the nodes significantly.
After a small squabble with the insurance company, Kathy was able to start on chemotherapy pills (Xeloda) on Dec 12th. This chemo is a 3 week regimen were she takes 2 weeks of chemo everyday and then has one week off to reboot her immune system. First two rounds are going well so far, the only side affects mom has is extreme fatige and brain fog as mom calls it “chemo brain”. Which is extremely hard on mom because if anyone knows my mom they know that she is one the most hard-working, gritty, “git-er-done” kind of women alive. It is very hard for her to stay still in one place for long. She was planning to start back to work after testing out the chemo to see how it affected her, but after “test-driving” it for this first cycle, it seems that there is no way she will be able to work while she is on it. Right now she is preoccupied by financial concerns about what will happen when her PSD and PTO run out, five years before she will qualify for medicare or social security, or be able to tap her retirement without major penalties.
My mom knows that her life is in God’s hands, and that everything happens for a reason, according to his plan. She has lived her life as a woman of faith, integrity and compassion, and because of that, she has created a sea of strong relationships sure to be her lifeboat through this storm.
With all of that said: please consider contributing to her financial lifeboat as she travels through these stormy waters. Any funds contributed will go toward helping to pay for any further biopsy imaging, chemo pill and doctor visit copays, her healthy eating, and most importantly, interim medical insurance after she is unable to receive benefits through work.
This is going to take a village, and anything you can donate helps. If money is not something you have to give, it would mean very much to my mom if you would considering sharing the page or contribute just a loving thought or a prayer to let her know you are thinking of her. We appreciate all of your support and well wishes, and thank you so much for opening up your hearts and donating to my mom. God Bless!
My mom is 60 years young, a single parent of 3 adult children and is currently fighting stage 4 breast cancer. I am making this page on her behalf.
My moms journey began back in late 2016 we just didn't know it yet. My mom went in to her primary doctor for pain in her left breast, she had a mammogram done which came back as dense breast tissue that needed follow up mammogram. The follow up mammogram came back as breast cyst, which mom had had her entire life but never this painful or large. She was told that these breast cyst and the pain were just something she would have to live with. In October of 2017 my mom noticed a bump on the left left side of her neck that followed with pain in her armpit. She went back to her doctor who ordered an immediate biopsy. This biopsy came back cancerous. A few days later we saw a surgical oncologist who confirmed it was Breast cancer that had spread to nearby lymph nodes.
After the diagnosis there was a flurry of Dr. appointments and scans, and on November 14th, 2017 it was confirmed Stage 4 Breast cancer. The cancer had spread from her left breast to her left and right lymph nodes, lymph nodes in her chest and trachea, and a small met in her lung. Again, a flurry of biopsies occurred. All Biopsys came back as Estrogen(ER) positive and Progesterone(PR) and HER2 negative. Hearing all of this was very hard on all of us especially mom because it meant that our lives were going to be changing fast, but being the woman that she is, mom just wanted to continue the fight and keep the faith and positivity. Next was figuring out moms best treatment plan. Mom first started with 5 rounds of radiation treatments on her left neck lymph nodes to try and provide some pain relief and give back mobility, since it was incredibly uncomfortable for her to even have a shirt rubbing on her neck, much less a seatbelt in the car. The Radiation treatments provided much needed relief as well as shrinking the nodes significantly.
After a small squabble with the insurance company, Kathy was able to start on chemotherapy pills (Xeloda) on Dec 12th. This chemo is a 3 week regimen were she takes 2 weeks of chemo everyday and then has one week off to reboot her immune system. First two rounds are going well so far, the only side affects mom has is extreme fatige and brain fog as mom calls it “chemo brain”. Which is extremely hard on mom because if anyone knows my mom they know that she is one the most hard-working, gritty, “git-er-done” kind of women alive. It is very hard for her to stay still in one place for long. She was planning to start back to work after testing out the chemo to see how it affected her, but after “test-driving” it for this first cycle, it seems that there is no way she will be able to work while she is on it. Right now she is preoccupied by financial concerns about what will happen when her PSD and PTO run out, five years before she will qualify for medicare or social security, or be able to tap her retirement without major penalties.
My mom knows that her life is in God’s hands, and that everything happens for a reason, according to his plan. She has lived her life as a woman of faith, integrity and compassion, and because of that, she has created a sea of strong relationships sure to be her lifeboat through this storm.
With all of that said: please consider contributing to her financial lifeboat as she travels through these stormy waters. Any funds contributed will go toward helping to pay for any further biopsy imaging, chemo pill and doctor visit copays, her healthy eating, and most importantly, interim medical insurance after she is unable to receive benefits through work.
This is going to take a village, and anything you can donate helps. If money is not something you have to give, it would mean very much to my mom if you would considering sharing the page or contribute just a loving thought or a prayer to let her know you are thinking of her. We appreciate all of your support and well wishes, and thank you so much for opening up your hearts and donating to my mom. God Bless!
Organizer
Amelia Rose Hernigle
Organizer
San Diego, CA
