Angie's Fight to Beat Breast Cancer
Donation protected
Hello friends and family. I've created this campaign to help raise money to help fund my fight against breast cancer.
I recently went to the Dr. to check on my L hip as I was having pain and was concerned because my R hip had to be replaced a few years ago. My Dr. (who probably saved my life) ordered an MRI of my hip as well as a mammogram, since I'd never had one due to the fact my Dr's in VT believe that you don't need one til your 50 unless you have a history. A few days later they called me in to go over my results. I wasn't worried because I knew I had hip issues and assumed that was what we were gonna talk about. I wasn't prepared for the news I was about to receive.
My mammogram showed a suspicious lump on the L side and a biopsy was going to be immediately necessary, it was scheduled for a few days later on a Friday. The results were going to take a few days and I had the longest, slowest passing weekend of my life. Tuesday night my Dr. called me while she was on vacation, she wasn't going to be back for a few days and knew I wouldn't want to wait that long.
Her next few words were about to change my life and family forever. "...you have breast cancer..." was all I heard at first.
As you can imagine, my sudden unexpected diagnosis floored me, the feelings flooded me so fast that I felt like I was drowning. I was scheduled to meet with a surgeon the following week to talk about potential treatment, she informed me that the mammogram appeared to show that I was Stage I and that a lumpectomy was looking good as an option, however I was first going to need a more accurate breast MRI and a blood test to check for the HER2 and BRCA I & II genetic markers, to be totally certain. That test wouldnt come for two more weeks, another excruciatingly long waiting period. The amount of hours in two week period when one is alone with their thoughts, felt more like years to me.
Two weeks pass and I meet with Dr. Wagner to receive some good news and some more bad news. The BRCA test was negative(which was good) however the HER2 was positive and the MRI showed the lump was bigger than they thought so I was upgraded to Stage II. Which changed the less invasive lumpectomy option to a 4 month aggressive chemotherapy treatment, a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and a year of less aggressive chemo.
Many of you know that my father died of liver cancer in 2015. To say that my own diagnosis was scary, is an understatement. Seeing what he went through, what the family went through scares the hell out of me.
As anyone who has been involved in fighting a cancer diagnosis, will know, the medical costs to be incurred over the next year will be overwhelming. Between co-pays for appointments, medical deductibles for surgeries, home care and missed work the expenses are already taking a toll and I'm told they will reach up into the thousands. I was unsure about reaching out as I am a very proud woman. I also know that many would later say " why didn't you just ask?".
So here I am, asking.
I will be forever grateful for any donation towards helping me and my family fight this battle. I want nothing more than to come out of this, cancer free and to have the opportunity to live the next chapter of my life here in Texas. I would also like to ask for continued prayers and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you in advance for your genersity and the outpouring of love and support many of you have already extended.
Life's too short and time too precious. Never give up hope, Live each day as if it could be your last.
As you can see from my Facebook pictures my waist length hair is now gone. I am told that one of the side effects of the chemo is hair loss so I decided I wasn't going to let cancer take my hair......I was going to let it go my own way so that I could donate it to "Locks of Love"
I also want everyone to know that, if at the end of my treatment there are any funds left, all remaining monies will be donated to help other women and their families in their fight against breast cancer.
There's an end to this somewhere........ Feeling Severely Humbled......
With gratitude & love,
Angie ❤
The devil whispers to her "You can't withstand the storm" She replies back "I AM THE STORM"
I recently went to the Dr. to check on my L hip as I was having pain and was concerned because my R hip had to be replaced a few years ago. My Dr. (who probably saved my life) ordered an MRI of my hip as well as a mammogram, since I'd never had one due to the fact my Dr's in VT believe that you don't need one til your 50 unless you have a history. A few days later they called me in to go over my results. I wasn't worried because I knew I had hip issues and assumed that was what we were gonna talk about. I wasn't prepared for the news I was about to receive.
My mammogram showed a suspicious lump on the L side and a biopsy was going to be immediately necessary, it was scheduled for a few days later on a Friday. The results were going to take a few days and I had the longest, slowest passing weekend of my life. Tuesday night my Dr. called me while she was on vacation, she wasn't going to be back for a few days and knew I wouldn't want to wait that long.
Her next few words were about to change my life and family forever. "...you have breast cancer..." was all I heard at first.
As you can imagine, my sudden unexpected diagnosis floored me, the feelings flooded me so fast that I felt like I was drowning. I was scheduled to meet with a surgeon the following week to talk about potential treatment, she informed me that the mammogram appeared to show that I was Stage I and that a lumpectomy was looking good as an option, however I was first going to need a more accurate breast MRI and a blood test to check for the HER2 and BRCA I & II genetic markers, to be totally certain. That test wouldnt come for two more weeks, another excruciatingly long waiting period. The amount of hours in two week period when one is alone with their thoughts, felt more like years to me.
Two weeks pass and I meet with Dr. Wagner to receive some good news and some more bad news. The BRCA test was negative(which was good) however the HER2 was positive and the MRI showed the lump was bigger than they thought so I was upgraded to Stage II. Which changed the less invasive lumpectomy option to a 4 month aggressive chemotherapy treatment, a double mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and a year of less aggressive chemo.
Many of you know that my father died of liver cancer in 2015. To say that my own diagnosis was scary, is an understatement. Seeing what he went through, what the family went through scares the hell out of me.
As anyone who has been involved in fighting a cancer diagnosis, will know, the medical costs to be incurred over the next year will be overwhelming. Between co-pays for appointments, medical deductibles for surgeries, home care and missed work the expenses are already taking a toll and I'm told they will reach up into the thousands. I was unsure about reaching out as I am a very proud woman. I also know that many would later say " why didn't you just ask?".
So here I am, asking.
I will be forever grateful for any donation towards helping me and my family fight this battle. I want nothing more than to come out of this, cancer free and to have the opportunity to live the next chapter of my life here in Texas. I would also like to ask for continued prayers and from the bottom of my heart, I thank you in advance for your genersity and the outpouring of love and support many of you have already extended.
Life's too short and time too precious. Never give up hope, Live each day as if it could be your last.
As you can see from my Facebook pictures my waist length hair is now gone. I am told that one of the side effects of the chemo is hair loss so I decided I wasn't going to let cancer take my hair......I was going to let it go my own way so that I could donate it to "Locks of Love"
I also want everyone to know that, if at the end of my treatment there are any funds left, all remaining monies will be donated to help other women and their families in their fight against breast cancer.
There's an end to this somewhere........ Feeling Severely Humbled......
With gratitude & love,
Angie ❤
The devil whispers to her "You can't withstand the storm" She replies back "I AM THE STORM"
Organizer
Angela Lee
Organizer
San Antonio, TX
