Nurse Andrea Needs Our Help
Donation protected
12/6/18 UPDATE: It’s been one week since Andrea’s surgery! Andrea and her loved ones are now focused on her healing and recovery, and, eventually, to Andrea getting back to life, better than ever.
The support offered through Go Fund Me has been amazing—and we are so grateful. If you would share Andrea’s story again and donate to help with the medical bills that are still coming and to support her recovery to get back to her life’s work, it would mean everything. THANK YOU!
***UPDATE: Andrea got the call from MSKCC and her surgery is the very first case tomorrow, November 28th. She is to be there by 6 am. Any good vibes are welcome!***
After 16 hard-fought years to avoid this day, our strong, beautiful, amazing friend and sister Andrea has to undergo a hysterectomy on November 28 to fight endometrial cancer. She has helped countless women and families as a women's health nurse. Now it's our turn to help her.
In 2002, Andrea was diagnosed with endometrial pre-cancer. She quickly learned that meant she might also have cancer-cancer. The only way to know for sure was to have her uterus removed and examined. She was in her early thirties and was wholly unprepared and unwilling to have a hysterectomy and lose an organ. Especially that one.
She held on to her uterus and was treated with high-dose progesterone—which triggered a serious depression—in an effort to reset her uterus. Andrea truly believed she had a three-month challenge to tackle, and then she would put that behind her. Her gynecologist did not mention that the reset was not expected to last.
Five years ago while undergoing fertility treatments, Andrea was diagnosed with “complex hyperplasia with atypia and foci of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma”, placing her firmly on the continuum of endometrial cancer. She still held on to her uterus, but in large part because she lost her insurance.
Early this October, Andrea became very sick with severe abdominal pain and unexplained vomiting. She has spent the last 5 weeks in and out of the hospital and unable to work. She’s had numerous expensive tests with abnormal results from multiple body systems. That triggered a uterine check given her history.
So on November 6th she had another endometrial biopsy. She would say it was her millionth. On November 7th she got the call. The bad call, not the good call. The bad call came with the unequivocal recommendation to lose her uterus.
For sixteen years Andrea said no to a hysterectomy. The thought gutted her. But as she has said to countless healthcare providers over the years: “I always planned to die with my uterus, but I don’t plan to die from my uterus. I’ll do what I need to do to stay healthy when it becomes apparent I have no other reasonable options.” There are no other reasonable options now.
Andrea has supported countless women and families through major life and health events. She developed a passion for women’s healthcare and nursing in the early days of her diagnosis, in part because the care she and other women she knew had received was too frequently inadequate, incorrect ethically and/or clinically, and way too often deeply lacking in the humanity we all deserve.
She went back to school, moved across country, and embarked on a new career in her mid-30s. Most of her work as a nurse has been in labor and delivery, helping people have babies, mentoring new ob-gyn nurses, and advocating for women’s health, midwifery care, and the value of doulas. For women and families dealing with loss, she is pure compassion, love, and light. For women needing an advocate and support through a birth, she’s all that and more.
All of her patients, clients, friends and family members know Andrea is the most generous care taker, nurse, doula, friend, and family that one could hope for through any life event or illness. She's an angel in scrubs who takes her role as a patient advocate to heart in every situation.
Now she needs help from others to support her healing journey. Andrea’s surgery is coming up quickly in two weeks. Her insurance will cover some of the costs, but her copays and deductibles are expected to hit her out of pocket maximums this year and next. In addition, there will be uncovered expenses for complementary therapies pre- and post-surgery to support her recovery. We anticipate her direct medical expenses even if all goes well could be ~$30-40k.
The balance of the fundraising goal is to help with home support in early recovery and the cost of living while Andrea is unable to work. Restrictions post surgery are extensive. While recovery time can vary, with the physical demands of nursing, she will be out of work for the weeks leading up to the surgery and a minimum of 4-6 weeks after surgery. Realistically it could be a few months before Andrea is back at work even without additional required procedures. Depending on the pathology report after her hysterectomy, additional surgeries and recovery may be necessary.
Making things even more challenging, her amazing wife Lisa lives 1200 miles away in Minneapolis with her son and Andrea's stepson 13-year old Finn. Her job as a union carpenter also does not offer time-off in a way that pays the bills or insurance premiums and we would like to make sure it's possible for her to be by Andrea's side for her surgery.
Andrea and her support team thank you in advance for any donation you can make to help her during this challenging time. Andrea is not only coming to terms with facing major surgery she hoped so much to avoid and losing her uterus, but she is also unable to work in the profession she loves until she’s taken this time to take care of herself. Andrea is so grateful for and humbled by the incredible love and support shown so far by those aware of what she’s going through. We hope to coordinate the care she deserves and that reflects the competence, compassion, and love she brings to everyone she touches.
With love and gratitude,
Team Nurse Andrea
The support offered through Go Fund Me has been amazing—and we are so grateful. If you would share Andrea’s story again and donate to help with the medical bills that are still coming and to support her recovery to get back to her life’s work, it would mean everything. THANK YOU!
***UPDATE: Andrea got the call from MSKCC and her surgery is the very first case tomorrow, November 28th. She is to be there by 6 am. Any good vibes are welcome!***
After 16 hard-fought years to avoid this day, our strong, beautiful, amazing friend and sister Andrea has to undergo a hysterectomy on November 28 to fight endometrial cancer. She has helped countless women and families as a women's health nurse. Now it's our turn to help her.
In 2002, Andrea was diagnosed with endometrial pre-cancer. She quickly learned that meant she might also have cancer-cancer. The only way to know for sure was to have her uterus removed and examined. She was in her early thirties and was wholly unprepared and unwilling to have a hysterectomy and lose an organ. Especially that one.
She held on to her uterus and was treated with high-dose progesterone—which triggered a serious depression—in an effort to reset her uterus. Andrea truly believed she had a three-month challenge to tackle, and then she would put that behind her. Her gynecologist did not mention that the reset was not expected to last.
Five years ago while undergoing fertility treatments, Andrea was diagnosed with “complex hyperplasia with atypia and foci of well-differentiated adenocarcinoma”, placing her firmly on the continuum of endometrial cancer. She still held on to her uterus, but in large part because she lost her insurance.
Early this October, Andrea became very sick with severe abdominal pain and unexplained vomiting. She has spent the last 5 weeks in and out of the hospital and unable to work. She’s had numerous expensive tests with abnormal results from multiple body systems. That triggered a uterine check given her history.
So on November 6th she had another endometrial biopsy. She would say it was her millionth. On November 7th she got the call. The bad call, not the good call. The bad call came with the unequivocal recommendation to lose her uterus.
For sixteen years Andrea said no to a hysterectomy. The thought gutted her. But as she has said to countless healthcare providers over the years: “I always planned to die with my uterus, but I don’t plan to die from my uterus. I’ll do what I need to do to stay healthy when it becomes apparent I have no other reasonable options.” There are no other reasonable options now.
Andrea has supported countless women and families through major life and health events. She developed a passion for women’s healthcare and nursing in the early days of her diagnosis, in part because the care she and other women she knew had received was too frequently inadequate, incorrect ethically and/or clinically, and way too often deeply lacking in the humanity we all deserve.
She went back to school, moved across country, and embarked on a new career in her mid-30s. Most of her work as a nurse has been in labor and delivery, helping people have babies, mentoring new ob-gyn nurses, and advocating for women’s health, midwifery care, and the value of doulas. For women and families dealing with loss, she is pure compassion, love, and light. For women needing an advocate and support through a birth, she’s all that and more.
All of her patients, clients, friends and family members know Andrea is the most generous care taker, nurse, doula, friend, and family that one could hope for through any life event or illness. She's an angel in scrubs who takes her role as a patient advocate to heart in every situation.
Now she needs help from others to support her healing journey. Andrea’s surgery is coming up quickly in two weeks. Her insurance will cover some of the costs, but her copays and deductibles are expected to hit her out of pocket maximums this year and next. In addition, there will be uncovered expenses for complementary therapies pre- and post-surgery to support her recovery. We anticipate her direct medical expenses even if all goes well could be ~$30-40k.
The balance of the fundraising goal is to help with home support in early recovery and the cost of living while Andrea is unable to work. Restrictions post surgery are extensive. While recovery time can vary, with the physical demands of nursing, she will be out of work for the weeks leading up to the surgery and a minimum of 4-6 weeks after surgery. Realistically it could be a few months before Andrea is back at work even without additional required procedures. Depending on the pathology report after her hysterectomy, additional surgeries and recovery may be necessary.
Making things even more challenging, her amazing wife Lisa lives 1200 miles away in Minneapolis with her son and Andrea's stepson 13-year old Finn. Her job as a union carpenter also does not offer time-off in a way that pays the bills or insurance premiums and we would like to make sure it's possible for her to be by Andrea's side for her surgery.
Andrea and her support team thank you in advance for any donation you can make to help her during this challenging time. Andrea is not only coming to terms with facing major surgery she hoped so much to avoid and losing her uterus, but she is also unable to work in the profession she loves until she’s taken this time to take care of herself. Andrea is so grateful for and humbled by the incredible love and support shown so far by those aware of what she’s going through. We hope to coordinate the care she deserves and that reflects the competence, compassion, and love she brings to everyone she touches.
With love and gratitude,
Team Nurse Andrea
Fundraising team: Team Nurse Andrea (3)
Angela Crossman
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY
Andrea Crossman
Beneficiary
Lisa Jensen
Team member
Marisa Miller Wolfson
Team member
Rachel Zaslow
Team member