Well, it’s been over a week since my last entry here and what a hectic, frightening and difficult week it’s been. Sunday, May 29th, I was in the ER after two days of unbearable abdominal pain. I was admitted that night. Many tests later, it turns out my uterus is just full of tumors. More specifically, fibroid tumors and cysts. My uterus is the size of a woman 4 months pregnant. But of course, I’m not pregnant. There are multiple tumors which are softball sized and several which are baseball sized and cysts so large they can’t visualize my ovary for the mass in the way. All told, I have about a basketball size worth of masses in my uterus.
I’ve spent the week back-and-forth at the doctor having tests and preparing for an emergency hysterectomy. (I’m 34.) However, this week, the doctor determined that the tumors were larger then originally believed when I was in the hospital and now I’m too high risk of surgery. Anything over 250grams is considered high risk. He estimates I have at least 1,200grams of tumors. As a result, I now have to undergo a temporary, induced, medical menopause for two months. The tumors are fed by estrogen, so by artificially putting me in menopause, we slash the estrogen production in my body and hopefully, starve the tumors. I will still need a hysterectomy but we need to do this step first just so the surgery won’t be life-threatening.
I have, in addition to my shop of course, a part-time day job. The day job, however, does NOT give me any benefits and I do NOT have insurance. I’ve paid $415 out of pocket so far in the tests just to the doctor’s office and the fee just to pay my doctor will be $2,000. (Not including the hospital stay or the anesthesiologist.) In addition, I’m already out about seven days of work unpaid and when I have the surgery, I will be out a month unpaid.
I really need to spread the word as much as possible to help raise the money for the surgery (I need a minimum of $800 down just to schedule it) and to off-set the loss of wages through this period. I’ve already tried and been turned down for every medical assistance program you can think of because Florida really has crap for help. I work and I pay taxes but I fall in the cracks of the very narrow eligibility window this state offers. You can keep up with my treatments, fears and progress on my person blog under the hysterectomy tag as well.
ANYONE who can help me raise funds, I can’t tell you enough how much your help means. Also, anyone who helps me keep my sales up on my shop which will help offset my lost income would also be a huge aid. If you can just pass along my link even – in blogs, in twitter, on facebook – just getting the word out and bringing attention to the shop helps so much.
I’m doing everything I can to get through this impossibly scary period right now but I can’t do it alone. Your support is so appreciated right now.