Monica's cancer journey

Hey everyone. This is Merissa. I wanted to add some info here to update everyone and let you know what the money you donate will be used for. Monica has been fighting this cancer for 12 years and she is still no in the all clear although for some time she was in remission. My heart goes out to this girl because all she wants is to go to college, get her dream job, and live the life she wants. Thanks to medical issues she keeps having to stop school and restart it later. If you know and love Monica as I do, you know her heart is gold and all she wants is to have a life as we all do free of all the medical issues. You would also know she would do anything for anyone she could. So let's treat her with the same.

I wanted to post the medical goals for Monica and her family.

1 Find a medication that will stop the tumor from doing any more damage. Then if the tumor stops for a bit she could give her body a long needed break from chemo. We are not meant to take all this chemo, her body needs a break so a few things can heal and recoup inside. I know how bad she wants just a little break. Unfortunately all the different options will have bad side effects and she can't work. Even without the side effects, she cannot work in public because she has to be in a protective clean bubble at all times. I saw the things she must do at home to be there. All areas she spends time in in here home or others have to be super clean and sanitized. The Doctors would like her to have certain things to be at home. She is fighting to stay at home with her family.

Monica tried to be a part of society and a few years ago stopped her disability payments in order to work full time and start school. When the cancer came out of remission, she was hoping to work and take treatment but it made her too sick to return to work. Disability took longer than usual to start payments, which is why she is falling behind so bad. I am listing the things her and her family needs. That way you all know what she will use the donations for. I know she has someone with her at home helping her try to keep things straight and help keep the house where it needs to be to be safe for her. If she can't stay healthy they will put her in the hospital and she does not want to be stuck in Ann Arbor. She lives in Flint Michigan. She also can't be home alone, someone has to be at home with her helping her at all times. A concern is her having a seizure and hitting her head while she is alone. The Doctors would also like her to put on weight because she can't lose more and it would help her if she gained some. The hospital she gets her care from is an hour from home. Here is the list of things her and her family will be using the donations for that people give and a few other things she may need to take care of.

List of needs and what the donations are used for.

List of needs

1 help with rides or fixing the family truck. The house has no car because Monica lost her car when she came out of remission and right before this last stay in the hospital the truck broke. It needs the motor lifted to begin to fix it. I know she is struggling to get to the doctor's appointments right now.

2. Cleaning supplies and equipment that will be used to keep her safe

3 Clothing as she lost some weight and it is about to get cold in Michigan.

4 Monthly bills

5 Food

6 Other supplies a house needs to function.

7 House repairs that are needed in the house. Mostly windows and other things

I know she has others needs but she did not tell me everything!

Monica is not sure how much help is available to her and if there is any she has been told it could take 6 months to even set up a ride to an appointment. Honestly everyone Monica and her family can't wait for all this stuff to be set up before she gets help. I know a few things are getting hard for her to take care of daily. In order for her to stop stressing and constraint on fighting cancer for the third time we need to relive some of her stress so she can fight like she knows how to deep down. Monica is having a lot of pain and trouble sleeping at night. Please help me realize some of her stress. She is still having several panic attacks daily from the pain, stress and information overload. Put your stuff in her shoes. Imagine waking up in a hospital and being told all this bad news about your health and have no idea what to do to make things better for her or her family. She is feeling like a big burden to everyone right now. Please also help me show her she is not a big burden on this world but the true beautiful person she is. She opens her heart to everyone. since a majority of our donations were from the previous part, we hope we can surpass that!