Zach's Medical Bills Fund
Donation protected
My name is Zach and I am a 29 year old graduate student in the Crosby MBA program at the University of Missouri. I was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Colon Cancer and I need your help.
Here's what happened:
About a month into this previous semester I started to get incredibly painful stomach cramps. They started out few and far between, then quickly led to me laying in the fetal position for hours begging for a release. During this approximately six week period, I lost about 40 lbs. I couldn't eat anything and my stomach was extremely tender to the touch. After much deliberation (I didn't have health insurance at the time), I decided it was necessary for me to go to the ER. Well, they discovered that the reason for the stomach cramps was twofold. I had an abscess off of the right side of my colon that had become very angry and, more importantly, I had a 5+ inch tumor (if you want to see the disturbing images, feel free to ask!) that was blocking my entire tranverse colon.
I just turned 29, this isn't supposed to be happening.
Anyways, once they spotted the discrepancy on the CT scan, it was time for more tests to get a concrete diagnosis. I was in the hospital for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all day on Christmas Eve.
I had five procedures in the next six weeks. First, a drain was put in my stomach to combat the abscess and then I was given an ostomy bag (which I still have) because of the obstructed colon. Next, I had to have two separate colonoscopies to biopsy the tumor and then remove the cancerous polyps. Finally, once they had decided on the treatment plan, they decided to put a port in my right shoulder. My body took a beating there for a while.
On Christmas Eve, I found out that I would be going through a harsh dose of chemotherapy for the next six months or so. I will have twelve treatments in all. The doctors are hoping that the chemo will shrink the tumor enough so that they can operate and remove it about halfway through the chemo treatments.
I finished my first round of chemo about eight hours before the ball dropped on New Year's Eve. Talk about a great way to ring in the New Year! I start my next round on January 12th. Wish me luck!
Well, it pains me to ask for help, but I need all that I can get. I'm only a lowly graduate student at the moment and unfortunately, insurance doesn't cover every cost. Chemo is expensive, surgeries are expensive, hospital stays are expensive, and even ostomy supplies are expensive. If there is anything you or someone you know can do to help, I sincerely appreciate it.
Much Love,
Zach
Here's what happened:
About a month into this previous semester I started to get incredibly painful stomach cramps. They started out few and far between, then quickly led to me laying in the fetal position for hours begging for a release. During this approximately six week period, I lost about 40 lbs. I couldn't eat anything and my stomach was extremely tender to the touch. After much deliberation (I didn't have health insurance at the time), I decided it was necessary for me to go to the ER. Well, they discovered that the reason for the stomach cramps was twofold. I had an abscess off of the right side of my colon that had become very angry and, more importantly, I had a 5+ inch tumor (if you want to see the disturbing images, feel free to ask!) that was blocking my entire tranverse colon.
I just turned 29, this isn't supposed to be happening.
Anyways, once they spotted the discrepancy on the CT scan, it was time for more tests to get a concrete diagnosis. I was in the hospital for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and all day on Christmas Eve.
I had five procedures in the next six weeks. First, a drain was put in my stomach to combat the abscess and then I was given an ostomy bag (which I still have) because of the obstructed colon. Next, I had to have two separate colonoscopies to biopsy the tumor and then remove the cancerous polyps. Finally, once they had decided on the treatment plan, they decided to put a port in my right shoulder. My body took a beating there for a while.
On Christmas Eve, I found out that I would be going through a harsh dose of chemotherapy for the next six months or so. I will have twelve treatments in all. The doctors are hoping that the chemo will shrink the tumor enough so that they can operate and remove it about halfway through the chemo treatments.
I finished my first round of chemo about eight hours before the ball dropped on New Year's Eve. Talk about a great way to ring in the New Year! I start my next round on January 12th. Wish me luck!
Well, it pains me to ask for help, but I need all that I can get. I'm only a lowly graduate student at the moment and unfortunately, insurance doesn't cover every cost. Chemo is expensive, surgeries are expensive, hospital stays are expensive, and even ostomy supplies are expensive. If there is anything you or someone you know can do to help, I sincerely appreciate it.
Much Love,
Zach
Organiser and beneficiary
Zach Heath
Organiser
Columbia, MO
Christine Heath
Beneficiary