HEY! We are Andrea’s friends and she needs help




Some of you know Andrea as Heidi the giggling waitress from Twin Peaks.  But in Seattle she is also known as a nurse, an art teacher for a community center and for special needs folks. The costumer and prop maker who helps you at a moments notice at 3am and shows up with food for everyone just in case you need some extra fuel for the crew.  Also kind, funny and giving.  

But those who don’t know—she has been Fighting what she says is a “Courageous Kung-Fu Battle” against Cancer.

That in and of itself is hard but on top of other recent troubles all the years of working 12-16 hour shifts have seen her hard fought for retirement savings dwindle.

It began when she was assaulted a few years ago at her nursing job.  Three broken bones, two operations and countless hours of PT basically ended her nursing career as she wasn’t able to lift or even start an IV due to the injuries to her wrist, leg and back. (first pic is right after her first surgery) keep in mind she didn’t stop helping her friends and the local film community during this time. 

As Andrea explains “I am still unable to correctly use stairs, rather one leg at a time as those who have been unfortunate to be behind me can attest (I am working on it)” 

Then she got the cancer diagnosis….she describes this as “ the point I felt like a Dickensian Orphan, without the musical “ 

She explains, “My oncologist said I would be unable to work for six weeks.  Due to the nature of my current job, if I don’t work-I don’t get paid (no sick pay).  So I did what I always did and worked as many hours as I could to set aside money for those off weeks so I wouldn’t be a burden on others.”

THAT backfired as she lost her insurance completely because-get this—she “Made too much money”  the premiums just STOPPED!  And yeah this can happen here in Washington state 

She had to wait almost one year with this diagnosis before she could even reapply for insurance. And of course while sick,  she spent her year helping and volunteering for others.  Keeping the cancer diagnosis to her self for most of the time. 

She explains “It was a bad year dealing with the symptoms-constantly worrying that the cancer was spreading, worrying about how to pay for everything” 

Yet she still kept her humor,  and kept helping others.  She even helped other friends (like me, Seth Wolfson) to raise money for charity. Using her Twin Peaks fame to raise Money for Mary’s Place, a local Women’s shelter, by acting in a production that benefitted them.  Even with the diagnosis she still ran the Seattle Chapter of the Empty Bowls project raising thousands of dollars for the Food Bank.

She was FINALLY able to reinstate insurance and had to go through ALL the preliminaries tests again—She went through way too many prods and too much blood taken…
Again, she was told she would have to take six weeks off but , “I LEARNED MY LESSON!! “ she said.

She explains “I got the surgery in September of 2018 and was actually able to take FOUR weeks off because I could only find qualified replacements for four weeks. (longer story there but THANKS Jo and Adam!)

“The oncologist told me that the initial surgery was successful and that it “didn’t appear that I needed chemo!!!”(Second pic is in recovery after the cancer surgery-- Her friend Trina took it because Andrea couldn't figure out what a cellphone was!) 

The cancer HAD spread so some additional organs, lymph glands and muscle were also removed.

She had a few post surgical complications with one landing her in the ER (Thanks to her friend Tim aka Evil Timmy for taking her and staying there for HOURS with only an outdated Entertainment Weekly and NO Hi-lites magazines to keep him entertained. )

Turns out, Insurance didn’t pay for ALL of the treatments ( go figure huh) plus the extra bills from the time off and the complications.

I’ll let Andrea take it from here :
Wow!  I look GREAT on paper! (ha) Thanks to all my friends who put this together for me, as you all know it is very hard for me to ask for assistance—HOWEVER
I am asking friends and friendly strangers for help!

Bills keep coming, my work hours were cut DRASTICALLY. ( another long boring story there)

Due to my disabilities, jobs I can do are hard to find at the moment.  Anxiety and Depression skyrocketed but another BIG THANKS to my friends and family who are helping me with that—I understand money is tight—if you can’t give, please share this and just send Prayers and good vibes.

If you CAN give—THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU—to infinity.

Feck Cancer but REALLY Feck Medical bills!!!!