Donation protected
My story and my fight with Stage lV Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer:
During the spring of 2020 and into summer l had some labs results indicating extremely high numbers for alkaline phosphatase. Because of COVID closures, my Endocrinologist appointments continued being delayed. I didn't get into their office until the beginning of October. They thought l possibly had Pagets Disease, which is a rare bone disease. Needless to say, l was sent to an Oncologist by my Primary Care Physician for a 2nd opinion.
Following a Full Body Bone Scan, Bone Density Scan, Bone Biopsy, Pelvis CT Scan, Chest CT Scan, Brain MRI and several weekly vials of blood labs (One week they took 15 vials!), it was determined that l ( a non-smoker) have Non-Small Cell Stage 4 Lung Cancer. I received this news on the Monday before Christmas. Yeah, Merry Christmas to me!
One can only begin to imagine the emotions of shock, fear, anger, sadness, grief, and numbness that continued to spiral through me as l tried to cope with this news. When l stood up from my chair upon hearing the diagnosis, my knees literally buckled beneath me. How could l...a NON-smoker...be diagnosed with Lung Cancer?! Oh, and not JUST Lung Cancer, but already into Stage lV?!
On a positive note, l have DNA markers that are ALK positive. I am one of the lucky 5% to have these DNA markers. With that being said, this means that my body has a mutated gene that responds well to treatment and there is a good chance that l can beat this cancer. Wouldn't that be amazing?! Of course, there are no guarantees because each person's body responds differently.
Currently, the cancer is in my lungs with a large mass in the right lung. It is attacking my spleen and is diffused and metastasized throughout the bones of my entire body, primarily my ribs. Luckily, however, my brain is currently cancer free.
I am on daily Target Cancer Meds to fight the cancer, plus l have received Radiation Therapy & Blood Transfusions and will be receiving monthly injections of a medication to strengthen my bones. Thankfully, l do have medical insurance. However, the insurance doesn't cover all the expenses involved. My daily meds alone have a co-pay of $1,000.00 monthly and copays for other treatments are beginning to roll in. I am trying to work as long as l can to keep my insurance going, to keep my life as normal as possible, and to ease the financial burden l am causing my family. I am worth every penny we spend in an effort to keep me alive, but the stress of the financial shortfalls is not good for the healing process.
It's difficult to ask for help...and humbling at best. However, if you feel compelled to help me win this fight and are able to do so, please donate to my medical expenses. I appreciate all the love and support given and shown to me.
I am holding onto hope and can't wait to say that l am in Remission or that l am Cancer Free! In the meantime, l'm not giving up! This is just a little hill with some strenuous spikes of incline along the way. I've GOT this one too!!
I may have cancer, but l'm the lucky one because each day, l am reminded how much l am loved.
During the spring of 2020 and into summer l had some labs results indicating extremely high numbers for alkaline phosphatase. Because of COVID closures, my Endocrinologist appointments continued being delayed. I didn't get into their office until the beginning of October. They thought l possibly had Pagets Disease, which is a rare bone disease. Needless to say, l was sent to an Oncologist by my Primary Care Physician for a 2nd opinion.
Following a Full Body Bone Scan, Bone Density Scan, Bone Biopsy, Pelvis CT Scan, Chest CT Scan, Brain MRI and several weekly vials of blood labs (One week they took 15 vials!), it was determined that l ( a non-smoker) have Non-Small Cell Stage 4 Lung Cancer. I received this news on the Monday before Christmas. Yeah, Merry Christmas to me!
One can only begin to imagine the emotions of shock, fear, anger, sadness, grief, and numbness that continued to spiral through me as l tried to cope with this news. When l stood up from my chair upon hearing the diagnosis, my knees literally buckled beneath me. How could l...a NON-smoker...be diagnosed with Lung Cancer?! Oh, and not JUST Lung Cancer, but already into Stage lV?!
On a positive note, l have DNA markers that are ALK positive. I am one of the lucky 5% to have these DNA markers. With that being said, this means that my body has a mutated gene that responds well to treatment and there is a good chance that l can beat this cancer. Wouldn't that be amazing?! Of course, there are no guarantees because each person's body responds differently.
Currently, the cancer is in my lungs with a large mass in the right lung. It is attacking my spleen and is diffused and metastasized throughout the bones of my entire body, primarily my ribs. Luckily, however, my brain is currently cancer free.
I am on daily Target Cancer Meds to fight the cancer, plus l have received Radiation Therapy & Blood Transfusions and will be receiving monthly injections of a medication to strengthen my bones. Thankfully, l do have medical insurance. However, the insurance doesn't cover all the expenses involved. My daily meds alone have a co-pay of $1,000.00 monthly and copays for other treatments are beginning to roll in. I am trying to work as long as l can to keep my insurance going, to keep my life as normal as possible, and to ease the financial burden l am causing my family. I am worth every penny we spend in an effort to keep me alive, but the stress of the financial shortfalls is not good for the healing process.
It's difficult to ask for help...and humbling at best. However, if you feel compelled to help me win this fight and are able to do so, please donate to my medical expenses. I appreciate all the love and support given and shown to me.
I am holding onto hope and can't wait to say that l am in Remission or that l am Cancer Free! In the meantime, l'm not giving up! This is just a little hill with some strenuous spikes of incline along the way. I've GOT this one too!!
I may have cancer, but l'm the lucky one because each day, l am reminded how much l am loved.
Organizer
Kristine Leffel
Organizer
Parlier, CA