Mendy's Medical Fund

I was overdue for my annual gynecology check up and mammogram by almost two years. Due to the fact that our family was without medical insurance for a few years, it was something that I kept putting off. So, once Shane's benefits went into effect with his new job, off I went. Before I even left the mammogram office, I was being called in to discuss a "suspicious looking mass" which appeared on my 3D mammogram. I can remember sitting in that office and hearing those words and thinking, "that doesn't sound good." They scheduled me for an MRI a few days out. My doctor did not like the looks of the mass on the MRI, even called it "quite worrisome". We decided to do a lumpectomy and just get it out. I guess, in hindsight, I should have picked up on the words being used by my doctors, but I just couldn't let myself go there. My general surgeon rattled off statistics and gave my tumor a less than 5% chance of being cancerous. Now it was just waiting for results. Two days later, I got the call. I had cancer. Hearing those words was so surreal to me. I couldn't wrap my brain around it. I was thrown into a world I knew nothing about, other that what you see in movies or on TV or hear other people going through. To complicate matters, I currently had breast implants which makes treatment a lot more complicated. At first, the general consensus was to do radiation therapy. I met with a radiation oncologist and was preparing to begin treatment. However, after really researching the complications that come along with radiation and implants, I just didn't have a good feeling about it. That same day, I received a call from my general surgeon. She too was reconsidering my options. She had met with several colleagues to discuss my case and gave me other options. There are multiple reasons for my decision, but at the end of the day, I decided to do a double mastectomy followed by chemotherapy. Which turned out to be the right decision. After the procedure, I was informed that there was another mass that had not shown up on any of the tests or scans! Crazy right? So, what now? Well, I am having my chemo port implanted tomorrow, starting chemo treatments on the 17th and beginning this crazy journey of kicking cancer's ass! So, for now... I am boobless, about to be hairless yet feeling so blessed that I am surrounded by such amazing friends and family that have been so gracious with their time and willingness to be here for my family. Thank you all so much!