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Hi everyone! My name is Heather. Those who know me best describe me as a person full of life with a love for animals, traveling, baking, and her loved ones. I’ve spent the better part of my adult life working at Optum where I’ve helped the lives of countless people. Irvin (my now fiancé) and I have been together for nearly 10 years and recently got engaged. We are the kind of people who wouldn’t hesitate to help our friends, loved ones, and people in our communities within our means. I’m asking for a helping hand now in a time when we could really use it. Just recently on July 29, 2024, I completed my second treatment of chemotherapy. As I continue treatment intermittently for the foreseeable future, I’ll most likely be out of work, so any money donated here will go towards alleviating the financial stress of hospital bills, general monthly bills such as our mortgage, and temporarily covering the cost of living for Irvin and I and our family of 3 dogs. Irvin is doing all he can to support us financially right now but I want to make sure he doesn’t have to bear that burden alone. Please know that if you’re not in a place financially to help right now, any form of words, thoughts, and energy of love and support still mean the world to me.
Here is my story:
It is crazy that my life prior to April 19, 2024 was filled with an overwhelming amount of excitement for the future. April 19, 2024 I was experiencing excruciating pain in my lower abdomen along with severe vomiting which prompted me to visit the closest Emergency Room at TGH Brooksville (formerly Bravera Health). I was admitted, and while I was there, they performed a CT scan along with countless blood tests. The doctor (in the Emergency Room) advised the CT scan notes advised either a mass or blockage within my colon. Long story short, they stated they asked for clarification from the doctor who reviewed the CT scan and were told it was a blockage/impacted stool. I was kept in the hospital for several days while they instructed me to drink a common Colonoscopy drink called GaviLyte (oral solution laxative). I was miserable. I was still experiencing excruciating pain in my lower abdomen. Every time I consumed some of the GaviLyte, I would vomit most of it back up. During this time, I was having small bowel movements so the doctors assured me I’d start feeling better in no time, however, they refused to do a follow up CT scan to see if the said blockage was cleared. After spending a few days at TGH Brooksville, they discharged me.
After being discharged, I was still not feeling great, and ultimately I felt like there was something still wrong with me. I followed up with my Primary Care Physician, however, her bedside manner was not very helpful either. So I decided to yet again take matters into my own hands and scheduled a consultation with Gastro Florida. The gastroenterologist immediately scheduled me for a colonoscopy and endoscopy at BayCare Hospital for May 21, 2024. In the early morning of May 21, 2024, hours before my scheduled procedure, I arrived at BayCare Hospital Emergency Department as I had been unable to keep down the colonoscopy preparation drink from the night prior, and I also believed I was vomiting feces at this point. They admitted me, ordered a CT scan along with numerous blood tests. Based on the imaging from the CT scan, they ending up doing a Sigmoidoscopy which is the examination of the lower colon using a Sigmoidoscope. During this procedure, they found a mass. The mass was so large it was blocking almost my entire colon. They woke me up from the anesthesia to obtain permission from my Mother to perform an emergency surgery to remove the part of my colon where the mass was. Once the mass (along with several surrounding lymph nodes were removed), they were sent to pathology for further testing. The surgeon reconnected the two parts of my colon and then placed 30+ staples along my abdomen to close the incision. After surgery, I went into respiratory distress and had to be placed on a ventilator briefly. While I was in the hospital recovering, the pathology confirmed that unfortunately, the mass was a cancerous tumor, and it was so large that it spread to some of those surrounding lymph nodes they tested also. My entire life is being redefined. At the age of 30 I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. I guess it's true that you never expect something as scary as cancer to happen to you or a loved one. I certainly didn't see this one coming. I was a normal, relatively healthy, 30-year-old girl. From the moment I received the diagnosis, I immediately had a true fighter’s mentality, despite knowing the road ahead would be challenging and life-altering. It's scary to think what the future has in store for me. However, I know I have so many lovely people in my life that will support me through this new cancer lifestyle. Irvin (my now fiancé) and I have received nothing but love and support from close friends and family during the diagnosing process. It means the world to me to know I have so many friends and family members that are here to support us during this difficult time.
I was discharged from BayCare hospital on June 5, 2024, had another procedure for the placement of the chemo port on July 9, 2024, and I recently started Chemotherapy on July 15, 2024. But I am ready to get my life back. I have so many things still planned for my future. Irvin and I will get married. We will build our dream house on acres of land for our farm. We will travel the world together. I'm sure of it.
I’ve also made a TikTok account to share updates on my journey and to bring hope and connection to others undergoing a similar process. The TikTok account is under the username of: @heathersaysword
Here is my story:
It is crazy that my life prior to April 19, 2024 was filled with an overwhelming amount of excitement for the future. April 19, 2024 I was experiencing excruciating pain in my lower abdomen along with severe vomiting which prompted me to visit the closest Emergency Room at TGH Brooksville (formerly Bravera Health). I was admitted, and while I was there, they performed a CT scan along with countless blood tests. The doctor (in the Emergency Room) advised the CT scan notes advised either a mass or blockage within my colon. Long story short, they stated they asked for clarification from the doctor who reviewed the CT scan and were told it was a blockage/impacted stool. I was kept in the hospital for several days while they instructed me to drink a common Colonoscopy drink called GaviLyte (oral solution laxative). I was miserable. I was still experiencing excruciating pain in my lower abdomen. Every time I consumed some of the GaviLyte, I would vomit most of it back up. During this time, I was having small bowel movements so the doctors assured me I’d start feeling better in no time, however, they refused to do a follow up CT scan to see if the said blockage was cleared. After spending a few days at TGH Brooksville, they discharged me.
After being discharged, I was still not feeling great, and ultimately I felt like there was something still wrong with me. I followed up with my Primary Care Physician, however, her bedside manner was not very helpful either. So I decided to yet again take matters into my own hands and scheduled a consultation with Gastro Florida. The gastroenterologist immediately scheduled me for a colonoscopy and endoscopy at BayCare Hospital for May 21, 2024. In the early morning of May 21, 2024, hours before my scheduled procedure, I arrived at BayCare Hospital Emergency Department as I had been unable to keep down the colonoscopy preparation drink from the night prior, and I also believed I was vomiting feces at this point. They admitted me, ordered a CT scan along with numerous blood tests. Based on the imaging from the CT scan, they ending up doing a Sigmoidoscopy which is the examination of the lower colon using a Sigmoidoscope. During this procedure, they found a mass. The mass was so large it was blocking almost my entire colon. They woke me up from the anesthesia to obtain permission from my Mother to perform an emergency surgery to remove the part of my colon where the mass was. Once the mass (along with several surrounding lymph nodes were removed), they were sent to pathology for further testing. The surgeon reconnected the two parts of my colon and then placed 30+ staples along my abdomen to close the incision. After surgery, I went into respiratory distress and had to be placed on a ventilator briefly. While I was in the hospital recovering, the pathology confirmed that unfortunately, the mass was a cancerous tumor, and it was so large that it spread to some of those surrounding lymph nodes they tested also. My entire life is being redefined. At the age of 30 I was diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. I guess it's true that you never expect something as scary as cancer to happen to you or a loved one. I certainly didn't see this one coming. I was a normal, relatively healthy, 30-year-old girl. From the moment I received the diagnosis, I immediately had a true fighter’s mentality, despite knowing the road ahead would be challenging and life-altering. It's scary to think what the future has in store for me. However, I know I have so many lovely people in my life that will support me through this new cancer lifestyle. Irvin (my now fiancé) and I have received nothing but love and support from close friends and family during the diagnosing process. It means the world to me to know I have so many friends and family members that are here to support us during this difficult time.
I was discharged from BayCare hospital on June 5, 2024, had another procedure for the placement of the chemo port on July 9, 2024, and I recently started Chemotherapy on July 15, 2024. But I am ready to get my life back. I have so many things still planned for my future. Irvin and I will get married. We will build our dream house on acres of land for our farm. We will travel the world together. I'm sure of it.
I’ve also made a TikTok account to share updates on my journey and to bring hope and connection to others undergoing a similar process. The TikTok account is under the username of: @heathersaysword