Samantha

My health journey began after lunch duty at the school where I teach, when I suddenly experienced a racing heart rate and high blood pressure. Thankfully, our school nurse was there to take care of me and insisted that I go to the ER. This moment marked the start of a long and challenging road. I was a healthy woman, free from prescription medicine and major health concerns. Everything changed after Covid. After I had my vaccines and had a few bouts of the virus, my body started reacting in ways I couldn't understand, and I found myself in the hospital more than once. For five years, I went back and forth between our local hospital and a well-known hospital near where I grew up, seeing specialists and trying different treatments. Each step brought slight improvements, but I never truly felt like my old self. Eventually, I reached a turning point and was accepted as a patient at the Mayo Clinic. There, I finally received a diagnosis: early stage micropapillary thyroid carcinoma. While it's never easy to hear the word 'cancer,' I am grateful that this type is considered treatable. My thyroid was removed, and after my fourth trip to Rochester, Minnesota, I am hopeful for a clean bill of health at my next appointment. Throughout this journey, I have managed to keep up with my bills and pay them as best I can. However, the costs of flights, hotel stays, and my out-of-pocket medical expenses have added up and I took a loan to pay those expenses. My health insurance left me with significant costs, and I am currently on a payment plan to cover this amount. It's difficult for me to ask for help, but after doing everything I can on my own, I am reaching out for a little boost to get through this last stretch. Any support you can offer would mean the world to me and help me move forward after these challenging years. The amount I am trying to raise will pay off the last amount due on my Mayo account.