Help Michael cover cancer expenses
Donation protected
UPDATE 3/11/2022. Today I received the news that the cancer has again metastasized. This time to a bone in my spine. About midway up where your rib cage comes together. My oncologist has referred me for a radiation consult. Short of a miracle, or my body healing itself, I’ve always known that the cancer was going to spread. I just wish it would take years to happen and not months. It’s scary and terrifying. It instantly brings my mortality into question. How much longer do I have? How many days do I get to look into my husbands eyes? If it’s getting worse what will happen next? I rarely spend much time focused on these questions. Instead I’m asking myself how I can make the most of today. Waking up and taking it one day at a time. Engaging my heart and soul.
After having paid my outstanding medical debt I’m starting to incur expenses again. I had four medical appointments this week. Because I can’t just hop into a car with my severely limited mobility I’ve had to engage professional medical transport. Each trip has cost me $120. That’s not something my disability income even remotely covers. There are going to be more appointments.
I had to purchase a walker, a mobility chair, a shower transfer chair and other items so that I could come home from the rehab facility and be set up to heal. Im able to move around and take care of myself.
One day at a time I’m living. One day at a time I’m moving through this new cancer scare and what is coming next. I don’t like having to come to you asking for help again and again. If there was an alternative I would be utilizing it. So I ask you to consider making a contribution to help with these new expenses. I’m very grateful.
Update 1/28/2022 Today we got the news that no cancer patient wants to hear and that’s that the cancer has metastasized (spread). My right hip has been in pain for a few weeks and the intensity has only been increasing. Yesterday I had a ct scan and the results came back that I have an inch and a half lesion. I’m terrified for many reasons. My hip is in danger of getting a fracture due to this lesion. I’m now on crutches as a precaution. Because the cancer has metastasized here the fear is has it spread elsewhere. I’m having the ct scan on my chest and abdomen on February 6th. We’ll see what those show but I’m not optimistic. Because the cancer is spreading it makes me think that maybe the doctors are right about me not making it to six months. Honestly I’m more scared than I’ve ever been. It’s now more urgent than ever that I raise this money and fully cover this debt so Timmy isn’t saddled with it when I’m gone.
In June 2019 I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer stage IV. The worst of the worst. 95% of people are given one year to live and that’s the diagnosis the oncologist has given me. We tried one round of chemotherapy and it wasn’t working. We continue testing and looking at next steps. It’s scary and frightening. I’ve resolved one thing and that’s to live. I want to live past the year. I want to live everyday. My goal is to have experiences and make memories and I’ve been doing that as often as possible. Many friends, at least a dozen, have asked to start this campaign for me. At the time I didn’t see the immediate need. Then I felt that this story was best told by myself. Needs are starting to become apparent and exceeding my resources. In the run up to applying for social security I had to fully exhaust my savings and deplete my 401k. I now live solely on my monthly social security check. Needless to say it’s a monthly amount that makes existing in San Francisco very difficult. It doesn’t allow for anything fun that isn’t free or nearly free. Our recent activities and travel have been very generously funded by family and friends. Now there are needs that I just can’t meet. I need to pay for my cremation and all that goes with that prior to my getting very sick. This is not an expense that I want Timmy and family burdened with after I’m gone. Medical bills I hadn’t expected are now arriving. I’ve just recently been informed I have a monthly share of cost of $1,300 These bills are averaging my entire monthly social security allotment. All I want Timmy to have when I’m gone are the beautiful memories we have shared. Not to be saddled with my debt. I would like to explore alternative therapies. If there is something that could potentially give me more time here I want to try it. If I could pay for some of these the dollars raised here would make such a dramatic difference. I love all of you and want many more years together. Every dollar raised will help. Please give as generously as you can. Please share this campaign far and wide. Both things help immensely. I will never fully be able to express my gratitude. I have been well cared for and loved in this life. My heart is full. UPDATE: I’m still alive and kicking and taking life one day at a time. Just when we beat cancer down in one spot it pops up in another. The cancer appears to have metastasized into my lungs and back into my pancreas. Your help is still very much needed. I’m incredibly grateful for all of the help that I’ve received
After having paid my outstanding medical debt I’m starting to incur expenses again. I had four medical appointments this week. Because I can’t just hop into a car with my severely limited mobility I’ve had to engage professional medical transport. Each trip has cost me $120. That’s not something my disability income even remotely covers. There are going to be more appointments.
I had to purchase a walker, a mobility chair, a shower transfer chair and other items so that I could come home from the rehab facility and be set up to heal. Im able to move around and take care of myself.
One day at a time I’m living. One day at a time I’m moving through this new cancer scare and what is coming next. I don’t like having to come to you asking for help again and again. If there was an alternative I would be utilizing it. So I ask you to consider making a contribution to help with these new expenses. I’m very grateful.
Update 1/28/2022 Today we got the news that no cancer patient wants to hear and that’s that the cancer has metastasized (spread). My right hip has been in pain for a few weeks and the intensity has only been increasing. Yesterday I had a ct scan and the results came back that I have an inch and a half lesion. I’m terrified for many reasons. My hip is in danger of getting a fracture due to this lesion. I’m now on crutches as a precaution. Because the cancer has metastasized here the fear is has it spread elsewhere. I’m having the ct scan on my chest and abdomen on February 6th. We’ll see what those show but I’m not optimistic. Because the cancer is spreading it makes me think that maybe the doctors are right about me not making it to six months. Honestly I’m more scared than I’ve ever been. It’s now more urgent than ever that I raise this money and fully cover this debt so Timmy isn’t saddled with it when I’m gone.
In June 2019 I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer stage IV. The worst of the worst. 95% of people are given one year to live and that’s the diagnosis the oncologist has given me. We tried one round of chemotherapy and it wasn’t working. We continue testing and looking at next steps. It’s scary and frightening. I’ve resolved one thing and that’s to live. I want to live past the year. I want to live everyday. My goal is to have experiences and make memories and I’ve been doing that as often as possible. Many friends, at least a dozen, have asked to start this campaign for me. At the time I didn’t see the immediate need. Then I felt that this story was best told by myself. Needs are starting to become apparent and exceeding my resources. In the run up to applying for social security I had to fully exhaust my savings and deplete my 401k. I now live solely on my monthly social security check. Needless to say it’s a monthly amount that makes existing in San Francisco very difficult. It doesn’t allow for anything fun that isn’t free or nearly free. Our recent activities and travel have been very generously funded by family and friends. Now there are needs that I just can’t meet. I need to pay for my cremation and all that goes with that prior to my getting very sick. This is not an expense that I want Timmy and family burdened with after I’m gone. Medical bills I hadn’t expected are now arriving. I’ve just recently been informed I have a monthly share of cost of $1,300 These bills are averaging my entire monthly social security allotment. All I want Timmy to have when I’m gone are the beautiful memories we have shared. Not to be saddled with my debt. I would like to explore alternative therapies. If there is something that could potentially give me more time here I want to try it. If I could pay for some of these the dollars raised here would make such a dramatic difference. I love all of you and want many more years together. Every dollar raised will help. Please give as generously as you can. Please share this campaign far and wide. Both things help immensely. I will never fully be able to express my gratitude. I have been well cared for and loved in this life. My heart is full. UPDATE: I’m still alive and kicking and taking life one day at a time. Just when we beat cancer down in one spot it pops up in another. The cancer appears to have metastasized into my lungs and back into my pancreas. Your help is still very much needed. I’m incredibly grateful for all of the help that I’ve received
Organizer
Michael Medema
Organizer
San Francisco, CA