Hi, I hope I'm doing this correctly, and have the correct amount of comment karma, etc.
The past few years have been extremely rough. I was diagnosed with peritoneal carcinomatosis, unknown primary, stage 4, on May 6th 2020. On top of having cancer, I also have Lupus. Go big or go home, right? LOL
Unfortunately, this is a terminal cancer, and by the grace of God, I am still alive.
I have been on Hospice twice now and taken off twice.
My cancer acts up (metastasizes), and then seems to level out for a while before spreading once again.
I don't exactly know how to describe this cancer other than it is a life sentence. It is an absolute rollercoaster of emotions with good days and some really bad days.
Pain is a constant. Obviously, some days are worse than others, and emotionally, well, that's equally as awful.
I have to take pain meds every day, anti-nausea meds around the clock, as well as an anti-nausea patch behind my ear. I can't drive because while I may feel OK to drive, I'm not about to endanger the lives of innocent people.
I see a palliative care doctor every 2 months along with lab work and CT scans every 2 months to monitor the cancer progress.
For a while, the cancer will stay the same (stabilize, if you will. As in the tumors don't enlarge), and then on the next scan, they will have enlarged again. It's like a rinse/repeat cycle. With a crazy emotional up and down rollercoaster.
I get to tell everyone I love things are progressing, and then 2 months later, it's like, "Oh, haha, just kidding, the tumors have leveled out."
I'm not sure how much more of this my emotional well-being can handle.
Not to mention, I'm not sure how much more my loved ones can handle either.
I've pre paid for my cremation. Taken care of all my final preparations so they don't have to worry about that. But none of it has been easy.
Countless trips/stays in the hospital. Countless blood transfusions, injections to raise my white count, countless falls, broken bones, etc. etc, etc.
Unfortunately, the last fall I had, I fractured t3, t4, t5, t6, t8, t11, and t12.
I also, because - fun fact, when breaking your fall, you shouldn't use your face, I know, I know. I knocked out several of my teeth. I mean, who would have guessed falling flat on your face was bad, right? LOL
The dentist said since I did most of his work for him, removing the teeth and putting dentures in would be my best course of action. He was also kind enough to inform me I did most of his work for him. What a guy, am I right? Hahaha
The total cost for the dentures is about $8,000.00 (OUCH!!!) but my insurance will pay for all but about $1,800.
Unfortunately, since I live on a very low income (thanks cancer) I do not have $1800.00 laying around.
I did have some money saved up, but unfortunately my best friend (my 15 year old dog) passed away 2 weeks ago. So there went what little I did have saved up.
I'm hoping and praying there are some some kind souls out there that could possibly help out so I could actually eat once again.
I have any, and all, documentation needed to show anyone who would like to see it.
Thank you for hearing me out. It means the world to me.
-A