20/12/2023
Breast Cancer #3 - Help Relieve Financial Burden
Greetings Everyone!
Where do I begin? I am a happy, upbeat, hi energy, strong and ambitious woman! I've been self-employed all my life, as an opera singer and a voice instructor, and a speech coach. I also am a patriot and love liberty!
BREAST CANCER #1 --
Back in Fall of 2011 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer, stage 2A, Estrogen Receptive Positive. I was never so shocked -- I thought "I am not the cancer type!" Ha! Well, I guess cancer is no respecter of persons, young or old, rich or poor, fit or unfit. How did this happen?? I KNOW the answer -- there have been studies that have shown that women who take Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) have an increase of 40% in breast cancer!! And women who take HRT for 5 years prior to becoming pregnant have a 52% increase of breast cancer!! Well, that was me! WHY did my doctor put me on HRT?? Such irresponsibility! So here is how my treatment went. In late 2011 I took pills for a few months with no results, so then in 2012 I did chemo, then had lumpectomy surgery, then radiation -- the whole 9 yards! 1 year of my life was stolen, but I got my life back, and never looked back.
BREAST CANCER #2 --
For the next 8 1/2 yrs I was on an Estrogen Blocker, and all was well. I had perfect mammograms. So my doctor took me off of those pills in July of 2021, when I moved from VA to UT. Unknowingly, apparently just a few cells had escaped during surgery in 2012, and lay dormant while I was on the estrogen blocker. So when I went off the blocker and started producing my own estrogen again, these cells started growing! It took 1 1/4 year for me to notice the lump just above my collarbone. So last fall, October 3rd, 2022 I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer Recurring, at the corner of my neck and shoulder, just above the breast. This was not considered metastasis, because it hadn't just randomly scattered. Cells had migrated during surgery supposedly.
So this past year I have again lost a year, going in and out of cancer buildings, taking test after test, submitting claim after claim, then getting 30 radiation treatments while adding chemo pills to the mix! Then -- in July 2023 after completing my radiation & chemo, things got MUCH WORSE! There were many side effects, including neuropathy in my hands and feet, and myopathy in my upper legs, which made me very weak, I couldn't even pull myself up out of a chair. I am getting stronger now, with physical therapy, but still have some lingering neuropathy and myopathy. I have also had hair thinning, which is minor compared to the rest. In addition to all of that, I had post radiation fatigue, SEVERE!! All of July, August & half of Sept I laid on the couch for 10 hrs a day, doing nothing. But my doctors were perplexed as to why my reaction was so extreme. It didn't occur to them until 8 weeks into this deadly fatigue, to check my iron level. Indeed - I had Anemia! No wonder I was lifeless for 10 weeks! A summer lost... and I was so behind on all my obligations! Another impactful side effect was that I had great difficulty and pain in swallowing. I could only swallow about 1 teaspoon at a time. Hence, I was mal-nutritioned and dehydrated, which certainly added to my fatigue. After receiving 2 iron transfusions, a few weeks later I began to feel much better, back into the land of the living! I have about 75% of my energy back now, and my swallowing has finally started to improve since October. I am grateful!! Oh - and due to having to radiate part of the esophagus, both my speaking voice and my singing voice were gravely affected, neither of which have fully recovered yet - 6 months later! I am hoping to be able to sing O Holy Night by the end of December! During this year, I have remained self-employed, but I have very few clients right now. So that's good for my health, but bad for my wallet. I had intended to look for a new full time job last year, but then cancer got in the way, and put all my life goals on hold. Another year lost...
BREAST CANCER #3 --
On Sept 15th, 2023, at my doctor appt to look at the results of the radiation & chemo treatment, we rejoiced as he said, "Your PET scan shows your body's response has been far better than we could ever have hoped!" He said we had gotten at least 95% of the cancer, and possibly even all of it! Yay!! The plan was for me to go on 2 drugs over the next couple of years, to fully eliminate any possible remaining cells. Then I would be cancer free with confidence!
However -- in that very same appt, the doctor said, "Now, there is a new spot that has been detected, that was not there last year in your first PET scan. But we don't think it is cancer." Just to be sure, I got an MRI, that ended up being non-conclusive. Ugh! So I had to get a biopsy. And on October 19th, 2023 I was diagnosed AGAIN with cancer -- this time much worse -- BREAST CANCER METASTASIS, STAGE 4!!!! It had metastasized to my left Femur bone -- the "thigh bone", at the very top, right next to the hip joint. HOW could this have happened during or after all these treatments?? Nevertheless, while I was doing chemo and radiation, this new tumor was developing in a totally unrelated place.
This 3rd diagnosis is Stage 4 because: 1) it has metastasized, spread to a far away location; 2) it is inoperable, because it is in the bone, so they can't remove it; 3) it cannot be eradicated by any (western) method. The best the western medical world can do is to "stabilize it" - keep it at bay, try to prevent it from growing or spreading. So I have started 2 drugs - a shot and a pill. The big issue for me is that they say I will stay on this regimen "until it is no longer effective." What?? That means that when these drugs stop working (yes, this means that when they take a scan and see that it has started to grow or spread), then they take me off of this drug, because "it has stopped working." How inept is that? What the doctors don't put into words, you have to figure it out yourself is -- this means that it gradually will keep growing, they are just buying you some time to postpone the inevitable - that eventually you will be dead -- because they CAN'T ERADICATE IT!! This is not acceptable!! The good news is that I am feeling well, I can still walk; and I have no pain, no symptoms and no side effects! I am so grateful...!
MY DETERMINATION --
I CHOOSE to overcome this, not to accept their "life sentence" for me. I believe God still has a plan and a life mission for me yet to fulfill. If it is His will that I end up not being able to walk and am in a wheelchair till the end of my life, so be it. But until He declares that, I will PRESS FORWARD, BELIEVING in His plan for my bright future, by doing ALL that is in MY power to beat this monstrous disease!! I am on a strict organic Vegan diet, eliminating all animal products, dairy, meat, fish and eggs, plus all processed foods. It takes a lot of discipline, prep time and money, but I am transitioning my eating dramatically. And I am doing juicing in the mornings. These changes give me hope, by providing my body with the nutrients that God put into His Garden for His children's health and well being. I also will be doing some naturopathic immune supplements, which are not covered by insurance, of course. And I am following the guidelines in the book Chris Beat Cancer. See https://www.chrisbeatcancer.com/ I CAN beat this!!
So here is where I am at now. We will take another PET scan in 3 months, to see how effective the medications are. Also, I just learned last week (Nov 20) that there was a new spot detected in my backbone, at T-11, that is not defined enough to know if it is cancer yet. But it may be a very early pre-stage of cancer, my doctor said. I am in shock again -- can this really be happening?? The bright side is that we are confident these 2 meds I am on now can nip that in the bud, & prevent it from becoming cancer. Ohh, it is so overwhelming... but I have FAITH in God's plan!
YOUR PART, IF YOU CHOOSE --
I am seeking $70,000 funding for many of my past bills that are still not paid for, totaling more than $130,000 (some will be covered by my healthcare plan). This includes medications, tests, 2nd opinions, consultations, treatments and supplements. I hope to be able to also have several natural (naturopathic) treatments (not covered by my health plan). I would like to continue these treatments for likely a full year or longer. And yes -- this is the worse part of cancer that most people don't talk about -- the financial burden!! Just yesterday (Dec 18) I spoke with a lady in financial aid, and she gave me a few places to apply for medical assistance. I am so grateful for her knowledge and suggestions! So I will definitely search to find financial support through various other resources, in addition to Go Fund Me.
INVITATION --
Would you like to join me in my crusade to restore my full health?
If so, I would be most grateful! You can go to and also share this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/breast-cancer-3
I can't thank you enough for your generosity in helping your neighbor! And may God bless you for your good deeds...!! And I will include YOU in my prayers also, because I realize that everyone is going through some challenge, big or small! With Deep Gratitude, THANK YOU ! ! !
