On the other side of the stretcher

HI, my name is Stephanie. I am a daughter, a mother, a sister, an aunt, an Air Force Veteran and an Emergency room nurse who is now sitting on the other side of the stretcher.

On 11/11/2023, I felt a lump in my right breast. My screening mammo was scheduled 11/22/2023. I had a prescheduled pretty significant GI/GYN surgery for 11/27/2023. So I move my mammo up to 11/15 and it was abnormal, breast biopsy on 11/20... diagnosed with HER2- PR/ER+ breast cancer the day before Thanksgiving, 11/22/2023. What a life changer to say the least. We moved forward with the original surgery as both my ovaries were going to be needed to removed.

Talk about timing and guardian angels, had I not felt the lump, got the biopsy and results BEFORE the prescheduled surgery, I would have had to go back to surgery for the ovaries.

So here I am now, January 2024, pretty much healed from the original surgery and ready to GO, FIGHT and WIN. This is not easy for me, as it would not be for anyone and the thoughts that run through your mind are exhausting. It is mentally, emotionally and physically draining. For anyone who knows me personally, I have always been a fighter, stubborn as they come, and a very dedicated emergency room nurse, love my job so much. I keep being told "if anyone can beat this, you can Steph, you are too strong willed to let cancer kill you". I believe this, in my heart, I truly believe this.

Here is where I humble myself and ask for help. Something that rarely comes out of my mouth, as I have always taken pride in caring for myself, my daughter and whatever life throws at my personally, professionally... I figure it out, thug it out and make moves to get stuff done.

This time I can't do it alone. The surgery in November tapped me of all my time off from work. So I am going into this next 6 months or longer, not prepared. I have no leave (time - off). There will be 2 different major surgeries in the next 6 months, double mastectomies and a reconstruction later. The unknowns at this point are chemo and radiation.

I am scheduled January 29, 2024 for the double mastectomy. From there the healing and the winning begins. Wear Pink for me... it is one of my favorite colors anyways.

Keep in your thoughts Brooklyn, she is only 13 and I have no idea how she is handling this, she is strong like me and controls emotion well. She is at that "don't talk to me mom" stage of a teenager and all I want to do is wrap her in my arms and hold her close and cherish every moment I have with her. This has been THE VERY WORST of it for me, because now I long for the days she wouldn't get off my hip or followed me room to room. Now I have to respect her space, allow her her time to process and just be available and ready when she needs me or wants to talk.

So my ask of this wonderful community of friends, family and my healthcare friends/family is to please consider donating for medical expenses, mortgage and life. There are several ways to show your support, if this forum is not for you.

Anything will be of great use, as we know January 1 just hit and all those deductibles just reset... so the medical alone is crushing. Then there is Brooklyn, she is in choir, theater, volleyball and well a teenager and "mom, can I have... $$$" is probably when she talks to me the most... smh, teens.

So I thank you in advance, all your thoughts, prayers, positive energy and of course donations however you choose will not be wasted. Let's kick some cancer @$$!!!!

I ask that if you can please share this to the world through your social media, as fighting alone is scary/hard, but fighting with a team of family, friends and community softens the blow.

Lots of love, appreciation and thanks,

Stephanie and Brooklyn