Med Exp for Moms Cancer & Leukemia
Donation protected
I would like to start off by saying thank you for taking the time to read our story! I am Stacey and my brother Kent and I are trying to raise money to help with the enormous amount of bills that are piling up due to some devastating news we received last month about our mom.
If you would indulge me for a moment, I would like to start at the beginning. My mom and dad have been married for over 40 years. My dad has been living with Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, RA, Diabetes and Skin Cancer. My Mother has been the sole caregiver to my father, handling his many, many, medications, shots, Dr. appointments, anything and everything related to his care.
In November of 2015, my mom developed a bump in her lower extremeties that the Dr. diagnosed as a simple cyst. The recommended treatment was baths and heat. Almost a year later the "cyst" had grown to the point that it was causing my mom enormous pain. In the meantime, Mom has had a very hard time keeping on and/or gaining weight. She has weighed as little as 88 Lbs with no plausible explanation. We were finally able to get a bone marrow biopsy scheduled and completed. Fast forward back to her cyst... 2 weeks after her bone marrow biopsy, she made an appointment to have the cyst re-checked as she was now having trouble walking, sitting, sleeping, etc. As she was waiting for the GYN to come in, her Doctors' Nurse came into the room asking if she would like to speak to her Dr. about her news. My mom was very confused, and said that she was fine, but thank you. After being asked several more times my mom became nervous, not quite understanding what was going on. She was alone at this appointment as she thought it was just a routine follow up for her cyst. Her Doctor then comes into the room and asks how she is coping with, and what plan had been devised to handle, her Leukemia. HER WHAT?!? My mom had never been contacted by her other Doctor who had done the biopsy. She had absolutely no idea that she had Leukemia. So she was told this news alone and terrified. She still had to see the GYN for her cyst and tried to stay composed. After reviewing the labs, file, and looking at the cyst, she was then told that she had Vaginal Cancer. This is at the same visit! She was scheduled for surgery to remove the Cancer. After surgery, she was sent directly to the lab to have an MRI done to find out if her lymph nodes, etc have all ready been infected by the leukemia/cancer.
She is now going to many appointments a week for both the Leukemia and Cancer. My brother has been a godsend in helping with my father and I have been taking Mom to her appointments. At each appointment, a copay is required in order to be seen. At her surgery she was first told that she had to have $250 in order for the surgery to be completed. She, of course, became very emotional because we are not able to afford that at this time. Luckily, the Doctor overrode that decision and the surgery was completed. We are now scheduled for weekly 6 hour infusions for her Leukemia and a surgery is scheduled for a vulvectomy on September 15. We are a proud family and are trying everything in our power to handle all these expenses ourselves, but we have come to realize we need help.
My mom and dad are our world. With them both being sick it has taken a big toll on our family. Luckily my brother has recently retired from his 20 year career in the Marine Corps and is now living in the same complex with my parents to help with the day-to-day care my parents need. I work full-time and devote every spare moment I have to helping where I can. If you would like to help our family, we would be eternally grateful. We want Mom to have a fighting chance and do not want to lose her because we couldn't afford the bills! Thank you in advance for your generosity and time it took to read this. We love each of you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!
If you would indulge me for a moment, I would like to start at the beginning. My mom and dad have been married for over 40 years. My dad has been living with Dementia, Parkinson's Disease, RA, Diabetes and Skin Cancer. My Mother has been the sole caregiver to my father, handling his many, many, medications, shots, Dr. appointments, anything and everything related to his care.
In November of 2015, my mom developed a bump in her lower extremeties that the Dr. diagnosed as a simple cyst. The recommended treatment was baths and heat. Almost a year later the "cyst" had grown to the point that it was causing my mom enormous pain. In the meantime, Mom has had a very hard time keeping on and/or gaining weight. She has weighed as little as 88 Lbs with no plausible explanation. We were finally able to get a bone marrow biopsy scheduled and completed. Fast forward back to her cyst... 2 weeks after her bone marrow biopsy, she made an appointment to have the cyst re-checked as she was now having trouble walking, sitting, sleeping, etc. As she was waiting for the GYN to come in, her Doctors' Nurse came into the room asking if she would like to speak to her Dr. about her news. My mom was very confused, and said that she was fine, but thank you. After being asked several more times my mom became nervous, not quite understanding what was going on. She was alone at this appointment as she thought it was just a routine follow up for her cyst. Her Doctor then comes into the room and asks how she is coping with, and what plan had been devised to handle, her Leukemia. HER WHAT?!? My mom had never been contacted by her other Doctor who had done the biopsy. She had absolutely no idea that she had Leukemia. So she was told this news alone and terrified. She still had to see the GYN for her cyst and tried to stay composed. After reviewing the labs, file, and looking at the cyst, she was then told that she had Vaginal Cancer. This is at the same visit! She was scheduled for surgery to remove the Cancer. After surgery, she was sent directly to the lab to have an MRI done to find out if her lymph nodes, etc have all ready been infected by the leukemia/cancer.
She is now going to many appointments a week for both the Leukemia and Cancer. My brother has been a godsend in helping with my father and I have been taking Mom to her appointments. At each appointment, a copay is required in order to be seen. At her surgery she was first told that she had to have $250 in order for the surgery to be completed. She, of course, became very emotional because we are not able to afford that at this time. Luckily, the Doctor overrode that decision and the surgery was completed. We are now scheduled for weekly 6 hour infusions for her Leukemia and a surgery is scheduled for a vulvectomy on September 15. We are a proud family and are trying everything in our power to handle all these expenses ourselves, but we have come to realize we need help.
My mom and dad are our world. With them both being sick it has taken a big toll on our family. Luckily my brother has recently retired from his 20 year career in the Marine Corps and is now living in the same complex with my parents to help with the day-to-day care my parents need. I work full-time and devote every spare moment I have to helping where I can. If you would like to help our family, we would be eternally grateful. We want Mom to have a fighting chance and do not want to lose her because we couldn't afford the bills! Thank you in advance for your generosity and time it took to read this. We love each of you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts!!
Organizer and beneficiary
Stacey Richardson
Organizer
Anderson, IN
Lula Urey
Beneficiary