I have some big news!
It is whats giving me the courage to do another GoFundMe. It's not as easy as I thought, asking you all for money around Christmas time in the middle of a Pandemic :)
Theres never really an easy way to do this, especially for a second time but honestly this time is so different from the last...
In November of 2019 I put all of my faith into Western Medicine after being diagnosed with Cervical Cancer (6cm tumor connected to artery with Lymph involvement). They promised me their treatments would work. Those treatments tore through my body and I'm still recovering from them today. Some side-effects are life long.
They told me I had a complete response. The best news you could possibly ask for. But, in just 7 months, right when I thought my life was returning back to "Normal" my Oncologist told me my cancer had returned with a vengeance , stage III, mutated and more aggressive than before.
How can that be? Why had it returned and what did I do wrong?
I was left with just two options. Chemotherapy for the rest of my life or a barbaric surgery called a Total Pelvic Exenteration (check that out if you want to have nightmares). Both of those options leave me with no quality of life. I will always remember looking into my moms eyes while my doctor explained my options and the only words I could get out were "These are NOT my ONLY options." I decided right then and there that Western Medicine had done all they could for me. Actually, in my heart I knew all along that it wasn't for me. Since then I've spent all of my time learning about Alternative Treatments. I've learned so much and became an advocate for my own health. My next step is finding the right doctor for me. A Co-Pilot, because ultimately I'm in charge of my body. I'm looking for someone who believes in me and shares the same knowledge- Your Body can heal itself. Oh, yeah, that good news I mentioned in the beginning of this. I think I found that doctor!
How many times should a 27 year old have to hear a doctor tell them that they aren't going to survive? The answer should be zero but sadly it's not. No doctor gets to decide how long someone lives. I've had to stand up to a few doctors so far in my short life. I had to use my voice and tell them that they do not get to speak those words over me. What I've learned since then is that everybody is terminal. Scans are just data. I am not a statistic. I'm just trying to grow old with my family and friends.
My best chance at accomplishing that is by going to a hospital in Mexico called CHIPSA. Many doors have opened up for my family and I to make this possible. The treatments they do are advanced and the staff is already so wonderful. The best part is that they're having great success with the kind of cancer that decided to move back into my pelvis rent free. The hardest part is that it's all out of pocket and as you can imagine, it isn't cheap.
This last month has really been a struggle for my health. I can feel myself getting weaker. I'm at the point where I have to have my parents/brothers/boyfriend with me 24 hours a day to help care for me. I've lost over 50 pounds and I am unable to walk for very long but I am not ready to lay down and give up.
We know this is the place for me. We know it's going to be impossible without any kind of financial help and we know how much help we've received in the past. We are still in awe of it and forever grateful.
But, here I am, as a different girl with her heart set on a whole different world, asking for you to please help.
Thank you.
-The Very Tired Girl <3
It is whats giving me the courage to do another GoFundMe. It's not as easy as I thought, asking you all for money around Christmas time in the middle of a Pandemic :)
Theres never really an easy way to do this, especially for a second time but honestly this time is so different from the last...
In November of 2019 I put all of my faith into Western Medicine after being diagnosed with Cervical Cancer (6cm tumor connected to artery with Lymph involvement). They promised me their treatments would work. Those treatments tore through my body and I'm still recovering from them today. Some side-effects are life long.
They told me I had a complete response. The best news you could possibly ask for. But, in just 7 months, right when I thought my life was returning back to "Normal" my Oncologist told me my cancer had returned with a vengeance , stage III, mutated and more aggressive than before.
How can that be? Why had it returned and what did I do wrong?
I was left with just two options. Chemotherapy for the rest of my life or a barbaric surgery called a Total Pelvic Exenteration (check that out if you want to have nightmares). Both of those options leave me with no quality of life. I will always remember looking into my moms eyes while my doctor explained my options and the only words I could get out were "These are NOT my ONLY options." I decided right then and there that Western Medicine had done all they could for me. Actually, in my heart I knew all along that it wasn't for me. Since then I've spent all of my time learning about Alternative Treatments. I've learned so much and became an advocate for my own health. My next step is finding the right doctor for me. A Co-Pilot, because ultimately I'm in charge of my body. I'm looking for someone who believes in me and shares the same knowledge- Your Body can heal itself. Oh, yeah, that good news I mentioned in the beginning of this. I think I found that doctor!
How many times should a 27 year old have to hear a doctor tell them that they aren't going to survive? The answer should be zero but sadly it's not. No doctor gets to decide how long someone lives. I've had to stand up to a few doctors so far in my short life. I had to use my voice and tell them that they do not get to speak those words over me. What I've learned since then is that everybody is terminal. Scans are just data. I am not a statistic. I'm just trying to grow old with my family and friends.
My best chance at accomplishing that is by going to a hospital in Mexico called CHIPSA. Many doors have opened up for my family and I to make this possible. The treatments they do are advanced and the staff is already so wonderful. The best part is that they're having great success with the kind of cancer that decided to move back into my pelvis rent free. The hardest part is that it's all out of pocket and as you can imagine, it isn't cheap.
This last month has really been a struggle for my health. I can feel myself getting weaker. I'm at the point where I have to have my parents/brothers/boyfriend with me 24 hours a day to help care for me. I've lost over 50 pounds and I am unable to walk for very long but I am not ready to lay down and give up.
We know this is the place for me. We know it's going to be impossible without any kind of financial help and we know how much help we've received in the past. We are still in awe of it and forever grateful.
But, here I am, as a different girl with her heart set on a whole different world, asking for you to please help.
Thank you.
-The Very Tired Girl <3
Organizer and beneficiary
Kylie McElheny
Organizer
Oak Lawn, IL
Lorie McElheny
Beneficiary