Hiking the Mountain that is My Cancer

The day started out just like any other day, sunny and beautiful, an excellent day to go for a ride on the motorcycle. The wind blowing hard out of the east hit my body's left side, and I felt an intense pain through a leather jacket. I got home that day and realized the pain was still there, and I decided to make an appointment with my primary doctor.

 

The appointment with my primary care doctor led me to get a mammogram with an ultrasound. Once the ultrasound was completed, it was confirmed, I have breast cancer.... I have breast cancer. It still does not feel like this is my reality. This news led me to a path that I had to advocate for myself. The first clinic I went to did not want to listen to what I had to say; I wanted a PET Scan done to confirm it had not spread into the tissue, and they didn't desire to perform one. I was told that it is the same thing as a CT Scan, to which my answer was that is not true and here is why. A PET Scan looks at the tissue, and a CT Scan looks at bone and muscle; that is the difference between them. The radiologist argued with me and stated I was wrong. So then I looked for another clinic that would take time to listen to my concerns and why I was asking for PET Scan, to which I found the same reply from the medical oncologist. At this point, I felt like I was fighting a constant uphill battle with no help from the medical team.

 

As I searched for answers, I found one clinic in Colorado that would listen, but unfortunately, they were not covered under my insurance. This led me to go to the experts I knew could help because people I knew and cared about had sent their loved ones there, and that place was Mayo Clinic. I had set up the initial consultation with Mayo Clinic after they had received my medical records. The appointment I had with Mayo was a much-needed relief. Not only had they confirmed my thoughts on the importance of the PET Scan, but they also confirmed the tumor was larger in size than the doctors in Colorado stated they were.

 

The honesty, care, and concern I felt from Mayo led to the best decision I could have made for my cancer journey.

 

Since I have trusted my care to Mayo, I have not had any regrets, nor have I had a lack of good care. So that brings me here, with Go Fund Me, to allow me to continue my care with the team that has been the most helpful and caring and trusting.

 

I am working full time as it stands, but unfortunately, I do not have the traditional benefits like short-term disability, nor do I qualify for FMLA. As I move further into treatments, the chance of working part-time may become more of a reality, along with the cost of fuel affecting flight costs. The funds for this will be used for flight and medical payments due to living in Colorado and keeping continued care with Mayo.

 

This journey will be a new normal for myself and my family, but keeping it positive and healthy helps the healing process. May God bless all of your journeys as well. Keep smiling, keep moving one step at a time, and keep the adventure alive. Thank you all.