#CancerSucks Kristi's Medical Fund

Not sure where to begin with my story. Let's start at the beginning, Kristi has become my best friend over the past 5 years. Back in 2011 we taught kindergarten together at a challenging school. Everyday we would eat lunch together and share stories about our classroom kiddos and our own personal kiddos. Through our daily laughs, and sometimes tears, we formed an unbreakable bond. After leaving the school we worked at together for one year, we kept in touch, and eventually ended up at the same school again! (The best school in FWISD, if I may add) For two years we were partner teachers. We were never apart, literally. A packaged deal, as most of our friends would say. BUT, this year, she had to move to first grade. We were devistated, but at least we were in the same school.

Every morning, I would greet my bestie with a hug and we would try and catch up between classes in the hall and after school. Well, last week something strange happened, she was on the phone in the hallway while getting her kids from lunch. I went to see what was "wrong" and she said the doctor had called to tell her to go to the ER now because her hemoglobin was low (6.1). she calmly told them, "I will go after 3:00, when my kids are dismissed." I was not taking that for an answer, so I ratted on her to our principal, who told her to leave asap. Long story short, after 3 blood transfusions, and 4 days in the hospital, 100s of test, we got the news no one wants to get, CANCER!

Kristi was diagnosed with Waldenstrom Macroglobulinemia, blood cancer (best place to goggle is MD Anderson website). Next came the devastation of having to tell her two precious children. Alexiss, her daughter in Nebraska, who attends the University of Nebraska, and her son Braydon, a high school senior, whom still lives with her.

I created this page so that the financial burden that Kristi is about to go through might be softened a little. As of 11/21/16, the day I am writing this, only 1 week of her first visit to the hospital, she has already had a doctor's office call and ask for a payment! GRRRRR. She starts treatment tomorrow and will get a port in, next week. The doctor has ordered her to take off of work for at least a month (which she fought tooth and nail because she only has 8 1/2 days left in her "sick time") She has applied for FMLA and also for time off through the "sick bank" FWISD has. The committee only meets once a month to grant this time, and they dont meet again until December 9th. They could grant up to 25 days of pay, but we wont know anything until then. If they do grant her time, that will be wonderful, she will only be worried about the medical bills. She has to pay 80% until her deductible is meet (she has already accrued that, but hasn't been able to pay) and her insurance calender year is September to September. PLUS she will be going to MD Anderson, per her doctor's orders, and we do not know how much, if any, the insurance will pay. We are assumming they probably will not pay for hotel, gas, food, etc.

Any amount you would like to donate is much appreciated, if you are unable to donate I ask you pray for her and her family, and SHARE SHARE SHARE this page. I will update you as much as I can.