11/03/2024
This is me and my oncologist on Halloween—he’s dressed as an ADC (antibody-drug conjugate) which is a type of chemotherapy, and the first chemotherapy I received almost a year ago now.
I just posted an update on my GoFundMe (https://gofund.me/6cfba1e6, the link is also in my profile) about my battle against Stage 4 Inflammatory Breast Cancer—you can also find a longer and more detailed version on my CaringBridge (https://lnkd.in/einWeMh5, this link is also in my profile). On December 1, it will be a full year since my original cancer diagnosis. I really appreciate the help people have given me thus far, which has gotten me through the last year, and I hate to ask for more, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to survive financially, and I am no closer to being able to resume working than I was a year ago.
I still have multiple appointments nearly every week, and I am still on medications that have a slew of side effects and cause massive fatigue. It seems like every week, some new side effect or diagnosis or problem arises. I’m always hearing about how strong I am for living through all of this, how I’m a warrior, etc etc. But I don’t feel particularly strong and I definitely don’t feel like a warrior. I feel tired, overwhelmed, and stressed, and I definitely feel the constant sickness of having metastatic cancer. But the financial strain is easily the worst part, and it makes me so angry that we don’t have better social supports in this country and that I have to ask you all to help me. But here I am.
If you are able to donate, I don’t have words for how grateful I’d be. Even if you’ve donated before, donating again would be so appreciated. And if you can’t donate but are willing to share my GoFundMe and encourage others to donate, I will still be massively grateful. This is absolutely the hardest thing I’ve ever faced, and I wouldn’t have gotten through the last year without all the help and support I’ve been given. Please help me continue fighting.
Thank you all so much.