Lydia's medical bills- from cancer
My name is Lydia Thomas. I'm a mother 6 and Grandmother of 2. I've been married for 5 years. I used to drive school bus and now work at the USPS for 13 1/2 years. I'm not a career employee. That means that I have no benefits or insurance. This was my second time around with breast cancer. The first time I was a stage 3. This time I'm at a stage 4. That means I had cancer in three places. I got to tell my kids over Thanksgiving that I had cancer 5 years ago. This time I was diagnosed December 24th.
I am raising money for my medical bills due to cancer treatments. I worked as long as I could. I was so happy that I could work while taking my chemo treatments. I worked up until the day before I had my cancer surgery. I was told that when I apply for the special insurance for breast cancer and cervical patients It will go retro active to my diagnose date. Which would be December 24th. Well they are only going retro till the first of July. They aren't covering any of my chemo treatments. I had my surgery on the 28th of June. They aren't going to cover that either. They're only covering my radiation treatments. I am back working only 1 day a week. I can't work anymore than that or They'll drop me and I'll have all the rest of the treatments to pay for. Anybody who knows me I never ask for help. There is always someone else in worse shape than I am. But, I don't know how we're going to pay all these bills. It's going to take us maybe 20 years. I'm getting calls from debt collectors everyday for my medical bills that I have been paying on and thought they'd be covered. I'm not supposed to have this kind of stress. I'm need stress free in order to get well and fight this cancer. My husband trys to be there for me. He has his own health issues. He just had 3 stents put in just a few weeks ago just before I started my radiation treatments. Now he has 5 stents all together now. He has pariphial artery disease (PAD) and other complcations from cancer treatments. I don't want these bills hanging over our heads. We could lose everything. My parents have been covering our mortgage payments this whole time. Thank God for them. We have My husband's disability which we aren't completely broke. We were doing ok if this insurance would've covered what it was supposed to cover. I really want to take my husband on a getaway that's on his bucket list. With all this I don't know how this will happen. Even if I work 7 days a week it still won't happen as soon as we need it to be. With everything that he and I have gone through in just the past 7 years that we've been together we realize that tomorrow is never promised.I never ask anybody for anything. I don't like doing it now. But, I know I have wonderful friends and family. Anything will be appreciated I'm only asking for a small amount. This doesn't even begin to put a dent in the bills. But, it's better than what we have now. I am going through these latest Cancer treatments naturally. I am not taking Chemotherapy or Radiation Therapy. I am choosing to do this healthy and for myself. Going organic is very exspensive but it will help in the long run. I am eating a plant based diet and have lots of energy. I am working and not home in bed feeling sick everyday with my hair falling out. I am doing this for me and this is the better choice for me. I am keeping this campaign open for future donations that will still be applied to medical bills that I have received for all my cancer treatments up to now. Thank you to all who have donated. Your generosity is much appreciated and has been used appropriately.