My name is Karla Jaime. Many of you have been following my story on social media regarding Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer. If you haven’t, let me briefly explain what happened: last summer, I recalled having some serious discomfort all around, where the very last thing on my mind was a mammogram. After all, how many 37-year-olds think they need a mammogram? Certainly not me. As time progressed, so did the pain and discomfort. At this point, I was trying everything possible to fix or get some relief, without improving. I successfully managed to travel to Mexicali (a border town) around the holiday season, with the decision to get a mammogram. After all, those signs oncologists tell you to watch out for were starting to become too obvious to consider anything more.

After receiving the results in Mexicali, the first thing I was informed was "seek professional help, now." Upon confirming the difficult diagnosis, I had to repeat the procedure of a painful mammogram here in the States and search for doctors and scans I never saw coming.

This has affected my family and those near and far: many have paused their daily lives to care for me, sacrificing their own lives and loved ones' needs. Although it has not been without gratitude, it has not been without its difficulties. At 37, I have appointed an estate manager upon my impending interpersonal visit of the mortal coil. Work, where I made a difference in practical applications of helping people find coping mechanisms to deal effectively with their own difficulties, and my Master’s Degree in Clinical and Mental Health Counseling are under a temporary pause, all of which I am determined to return to.

Present day, as I still try to understand what the diagnosis means day-by-day, I find myself with a chest port that allows the chemotherapy to work its way through my body. Albeit, it hasn’t been a beautiful sight in any form. However, I am living my life to the best of my abilities. I will have chemotherapy for the cancer treatment that has spread through, let’s face it, a large amount of my body. Gamma Knife Radiation for the brain cancer. PET scans, CT scans, echocardiogram all to determine if any damage has spread, has been found, or has decided to permanently take residence where it has no position.

Now that you are in on it, I welcome your concerns as to how these donations will be used: the aforementioned medical care, the impending arrival bills of said medical care, the invoices that have been paid in small increments without any crowdfunding, and questions about my diagnosis or medical and mental health effects.

With this matter, I am honored and grateful to have the support of all of you.

Regards,

Karla C. Jaime