Brain Tumor Surgery and Recovery

Hello everyone,

This is hard to post, especially since Michelle has kept her diagnosis very private, we've discussed this decision and we believe now is the time to put this news out, not for pitty because she is a very stubborn and proud woman (we all know that) but we know everyone needs help at one season of their life or another, this just so happens to be hers.

Michelle and I received life-altering news about a month ago. It has changed our lives the moment her doctor called and said "can you sit down somewhere quiet, I have some news to tell you about your scan" and now we are going through the steps to hopefully "cure" what she is diagnosed with. In this short time she has been back and forth weekly to the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix and Mayo Clinic Scottsdale, both over an hour drive away for endless testing and scans.

She was diagnosed with having a brain tumor, possibly malignant (cancer), and post operation, further testing, (fingers crossed the biopsy comes back not cancer) possibly chemo and radiation. The type of tumor they found is found in 1% of cases per year in the United States. We were lucky to have found it before it was too late. The doctor has expressed to us many times that if this was found in 5 years it would have taken her life and that most of these types of tumors are found when it is too late. We are very grateful it was detected early. We still don't know the outcome and how it will affect her and us as a family.

The Neuro surgeon who took her case has won Regional Doctor of the year in 2020 so we have hope she is in the best of hands but it does come with great cost. Due to him being the best and getting the best care at Mayo Clinic, the cost of everything is going beyond what we have expected. That is with having two different insurances.

We don't ever ask for help, and putting something this personal out there is really hard for us, especially her. But we are asking for your help with the upcoming expenses that we are currently being billed with just all of the testing, scans and even more including surgery and the hospital stay. We are only at the beginning and already have around $4,000 in medical expenses. I have not been able to work a full schedule due to having to take care of the kids and when the surgery and treatments start I will have to be home more and more, post surgery it will take at least 4-6 weeks alone for her to recover.

We are doing everything to keep her stress levels low as her surgery date is quickly approaching. Her main concern and has always been is to keep our children healthy and well cared for and the prices of her illness has already taken such a toll on our finances and the woman she is, she feels guilty, as a mother does even though she had no control over this situation she is unfortunate enough to have found herself in.

We, as a family are staying positive and she is determined to fight and beat this and anything else that may come along because of it. This will be the toughest journey for our family thus far.

We are and asking for help and prayers. Thank you for reading this and helping us in our time of need.