Robin's Cancer Fund
Donation protected
In life we are presented with challenges. Some are just small bumps in the road while others are huge hurdles that are hard to overcome. Are these challenges supposed to teach us something, make us stronger or a punishment for something we’ve done? Why are some continually faced with these challenges while others are never?
Although me and my husband have “gotten by” we have struggled and each year we say “this will be our year” but unfortunately that never happens and another struggle comes making it yet a little harder to pay bills, to get ahead or make any needed repairs. We don’t live a fancy life, we don’t or have ever gone on vacations, we drive vehicles that are 10 & 15 years old and a splurge for us is going to garage sales on the weekends or shopping at a thrift store. Don’t get me wrong I love finding those great bargains but it is hard to tell your 9 & 11 year olds “sorry but we can’t afford that today”.
July 25, 2014, without warning I am faced yet again with a challenge. One I thought I would never have to go through, I was told I have breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma. Some pretty scary words and my life was changed forever and I didn’t know what was going to happen. I have two young boys to care for, I can’t afford to not work and I can’t afford the extra medical bills that I would have and there are a lot of them. After meeting with several doctors, having more tests in a month’s time than my whole lifetime of doctor visits, and having more information being told to me than I could comprehend, I finally had a plan of action. I was going to have genetic testing done so that I could better make my surgical decision. With the wait to get the testing done I decided to start chemo first. August 12 I started my first chemo treatment until November 20th was my last. With my genetic testing coming back as positive for a mutant gene my only choice for surgery was a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy. Devastating to hear at age 43 but being the best choice to make. I did not want to go through the rest of my life wondering if or when will it come back. I had the first surgery (double mastectomy) on December 18, 2014. I didn’t know how I was going to react or feel after the surgery and looking at my body which is now changed forever. To my surprise I am ok with what has happened. I still have a long way to go for recovery and a couple more surgeries, the hysterectomy and reconstruction, but I know I can get through it.
Going through all of this I have realized how strong I really am and that I have a lot of support from not just people I know but people I don’t or have ever met. It is amazing to know there are truly caring people in the world. I now go through each day as it comes, I cannot change the past or predict what will happen tomorrow so I have to live for today.
It's hard to admit to yourself that you need help let alone let others know you need help financially. Your donations will be going to my medical bills and will help our family greatly. Anything you can donate will be truly appreciated. Thank you for reading my story.
Although me and my husband have “gotten by” we have struggled and each year we say “this will be our year” but unfortunately that never happens and another struggle comes making it yet a little harder to pay bills, to get ahead or make any needed repairs. We don’t live a fancy life, we don’t or have ever gone on vacations, we drive vehicles that are 10 & 15 years old and a splurge for us is going to garage sales on the weekends or shopping at a thrift store. Don’t get me wrong I love finding those great bargains but it is hard to tell your 9 & 11 year olds “sorry but we can’t afford that today”.
July 25, 2014, without warning I am faced yet again with a challenge. One I thought I would never have to go through, I was told I have breast cancer, invasive ductal carcinoma. Some pretty scary words and my life was changed forever and I didn’t know what was going to happen. I have two young boys to care for, I can’t afford to not work and I can’t afford the extra medical bills that I would have and there are a lot of them. After meeting with several doctors, having more tests in a month’s time than my whole lifetime of doctor visits, and having more information being told to me than I could comprehend, I finally had a plan of action. I was going to have genetic testing done so that I could better make my surgical decision. With the wait to get the testing done I decided to start chemo first. August 12 I started my first chemo treatment until November 20th was my last. With my genetic testing coming back as positive for a mutant gene my only choice for surgery was a double mastectomy and a hysterectomy. Devastating to hear at age 43 but being the best choice to make. I did not want to go through the rest of my life wondering if or when will it come back. I had the first surgery (double mastectomy) on December 18, 2014. I didn’t know how I was going to react or feel after the surgery and looking at my body which is now changed forever. To my surprise I am ok with what has happened. I still have a long way to go for recovery and a couple more surgeries, the hysterectomy and reconstruction, but I know I can get through it.
Going through all of this I have realized how strong I really am and that I have a lot of support from not just people I know but people I don’t or have ever met. It is amazing to know there are truly caring people in the world. I now go through each day as it comes, I cannot change the past or predict what will happen tomorrow so I have to live for today.
It's hard to admit to yourself that you need help let alone let others know you need help financially. Your donations will be going to my medical bills and will help our family greatly. Anything you can donate will be truly appreciated. Thank you for reading my story.
Organizer
Robin Stanislaw
Organizer
Bayport, MN
