Robin's Road to Reconstruction after Cancer
Donation protected
Robin McNeill. Mother of five wonderful children. Dog mom to Spanky and Darla. 32 year veteran NICU nurse at Region One Medical Center in Memphis, TN. Our hero. Our cancer survivor.
On December 23, 2017, a regular, scheduled mammogram was performed. Robin has always made it a point to have these done yearly because of a strong family history and a suspicious spot on her left breast that ALWAYS gets a second look. A couple of weeks after the mammogram, Robin received a letter asking her to come back for a further look. A second round of tests were performed in February of 2018. The doctor performed a ultrasound and 3D imaging after the mammogram. The ultrasound technician had Robin feel the lump in the side of her right breast, it was the size of a green pea and very much what you expect to feel if doing a self exam and finding something out of the norm. She had never felt this lump before. The other tumor found was a different story. It was spread out and uneven. Not something that anyone would have ever thought unusual, especially someone with particularly dense breast tissue. Robin was hit with this news by surprise as the left side had always been the "problem" side. A plan of action was quickly developed and so began Robin's unfamiliar journey as a breast cancer patient. Shortly after Robin's diagnosis, she was thrust into doctors offices to discuss treatment and surgery. On February 23, Robin had a mastectomy. Exactly one month later, she began her chemo therapy treatment at West Cancer clinic in Memphis. In June, radiation therapy began at Baptist Cancer clinic. Radiation was performed five days a week for six weeks!!! After radiation came physical therapy for lymphedema. After just six weeks of her initial treatment, Robin’s sick time had run out. Robin’s coworkers graciously donated enough of their own time for a weeks worth of Robin’s pay and sold Team Robin t-shirts for another couple of weeks of pay to help soften the blow of not receiving income.
This campaign is to help raise money to cover the out of network deductible for Robin's reconstruction surgery and for accommodation costs. Since there is NO microsurgeon that can perform this type of reconstruction in her area, she is having to travel out of state, making it out of network. Reconstruction is scheduled to be performed on February 1, 2019 in New Orleans, LA at Center for Restorative Breast Surgery. The surgery is out of network and her deductible will have to be paid ten days before her surgery. Robin will have to stay in New Orleans a total of 10 days. Two days before surgery and four days after surgery so she can be close to her surgeon.
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to read about our Mother’s journey.
On December 23, 2017, a regular, scheduled mammogram was performed. Robin has always made it a point to have these done yearly because of a strong family history and a suspicious spot on her left breast that ALWAYS gets a second look. A couple of weeks after the mammogram, Robin received a letter asking her to come back for a further look. A second round of tests were performed in February of 2018. The doctor performed a ultrasound and 3D imaging after the mammogram. The ultrasound technician had Robin feel the lump in the side of her right breast, it was the size of a green pea and very much what you expect to feel if doing a self exam and finding something out of the norm. She had never felt this lump before. The other tumor found was a different story. It was spread out and uneven. Not something that anyone would have ever thought unusual, especially someone with particularly dense breast tissue. Robin was hit with this news by surprise as the left side had always been the "problem" side. A plan of action was quickly developed and so began Robin's unfamiliar journey as a breast cancer patient. Shortly after Robin's diagnosis, she was thrust into doctors offices to discuss treatment and surgery. On February 23, Robin had a mastectomy. Exactly one month later, she began her chemo therapy treatment at West Cancer clinic in Memphis. In June, radiation therapy began at Baptist Cancer clinic. Radiation was performed five days a week for six weeks!!! After radiation came physical therapy for lymphedema. After just six weeks of her initial treatment, Robin’s sick time had run out. Robin’s coworkers graciously donated enough of their own time for a weeks worth of Robin’s pay and sold Team Robin t-shirts for another couple of weeks of pay to help soften the blow of not receiving income.
This campaign is to help raise money to cover the out of network deductible for Robin's reconstruction surgery and for accommodation costs. Since there is NO microsurgeon that can perform this type of reconstruction in her area, she is having to travel out of state, making it out of network. Reconstruction is scheduled to be performed on February 1, 2019 in New Orleans, LA at Center for Restorative Breast Surgery. The surgery is out of network and her deductible will have to be paid ten days before her surgery. Robin will have to stay in New Orleans a total of 10 days. Two days before surgery and four days after surgery so she can be close to her surgeon.
We thank you from the bottom of our hearts for taking the time to read about our Mother’s journey.
Organizer
Robin McNeill
Organizer
Holly Springs, MS