Tracey's journey...one step at a time

Hello!!!  Welcome to my website.  First off I want to say that this webpage is legitimate.  I'm not some scammer looking for an easy way to make money with a sob story.  I'm just a single mom who has reached roadblocks everywhere she goes when it comes to paying for healthcare.  The internet is wide reaching and is a way for me to get my story out there, possibly and hopefully get the financial help I need and maybe get our laws and healthcare in this country changed.  Stranger things have happened.  I figure if a woman can get help from perfect strangers to get her debt paid off...I can hopefully have the same results that she had.  Now to tell you who I am:

My name is Tracey and I am 41 years old.  I live in a small town in south central Washington that we like to call Yakima.  Not Ya-kee-ma but Yeah-kim-ma.  It's mainly an agricultural type of town...apples, cherries, pears and such.  But...they are starting to really kick into the wine craze and we have quite a few wineries that boast some fabulous wines...if that is your kind of thing. 

I have 2 fabulous daughters who have graced my life starting in 1994 and with the youngest making her debut in 1999.  Being a parent is most definitely the most satisfying and amazing career I have ever had.  Nothing in the world means more to me than seeing them smile and have a good belly laugh.

I work as an office manager for quite possibly the best boss in the world.  He has allowed me to learn the business completely green.  Oh...I work for an insurance agent.  I know I know...not glamorous but it is interesting once you really get into it.  Seriously.   Steven is a family man so he knows that being a single mom is not easy for me.  He will allow me to bring my kids to work if I do not have someone to watch them.  If they are sick, he does not freak out if I have to stay home.  I have worked for him just over 3 years and I would not change anything about where I am employed.

Let me explain why I created this website:

While driving to work today it kept nagging in my mind "What am I going to do?"  I just didn't know.  All of a sudden it came to me..."Oh my gosh!!!  There are people who create websites to ask for money from strangers so they can get out of debt.  Why can't I do the same?"  I thought about it and realized that this is not such a bad thing.  I mean...I did not ask to be in this situation.  I did not buy anything to put myself in this circumstance.  I'm one of the many people who are faced without health insurance and are now looking down the barrel of needing medical services that are WAY beyond what a normal American citizen could afford.  So here I am...having a website asking for help.  Now to the story of why you are at this site...

I learned when I was 19 that my biological mother had breast cancer early in life.  That news didn't really effect me until I was much older.  That effect happened when I was 39.  I found a lump in my left breast. Mammograms, ultrasounds and a biopsy told me that the lump was benign.  It's been hanging out for 2 years now and in my opinion, since I am really the only person who looks at my boobs on a daily basis (remember...I'm a single mom), it is getting bigger.  The lump not my breast.  With that knowledge I went back to the doctor. After the squishing, lubing (think ultrasound here) and manual compressing I learned something...there isn't just one lump but two!!!  Lovely.  After 2 years of some serious thinking and also talking to my doctor we have come to the conclusion that I am a good candidate for prophylactic surgery.  In layman's terms...cut the mamm's off!!!  But...there is always that proverbial but isn't there...he wants me to get an MRI before he does the surgery just to make sure we have dotted our I's and crossed our T's. 

Let me back up a bit and give a bit of history.  My biological mother developed breast cancer at 35.  She had a mastectomy and then reconstruction.  I had a total hysterctomy at the age of 35 which sent me into menopause WAY too early.  To combat those fun and exciting symptoms (read that with sarcasm...) I was put on estrogen.  Synthetic of course. With all of that against me it was a foregone conclusion that I'm placed in a high risk catagory.  No genetic testing needed.  Thankfully the doctor didn't recommend that because even if I had insurance I couldn't afford the cost.  Oh...I didn't mention...I don't have health insurance.  We are at the very reason I started this website.   I need an MRI and surgery.  This is where good samaritians, such as yourself, come in.  There is no way I can afford these procedures.  The MRI, at it's base cost, is $2000.  Hello!!!  More than I make in a month!  The surgery?  Well...that will be up near the $10,000 range and I'm lowballing it there.  The surgery is just for the removal and no reconstruction.  I'm not even sure I want reconstruction at this point.  Maybe I will after I see that I have become flatter than the plains of Kansas.  The last time I saw my doctor was February 29, 2008.  I'm 5 months out from that appointment and still at a stand still on what I can do.  I know what I need to do. 

Did I mention that I have 2 adoreable and beautiful daughters?  I want to be around to see them grow into womanhood, to watch them get married and birth my grandbabies.  Those little girls are my world.  My very reason for putting this site up.  They have not had a "whole" mommy since I have found those dreaded beasts inside my breast.  It's funny how a lump can divert your attention and not allow you to give 110% to everything you do. 

Please don't give me holier than thou emails saying I need to apply for insurance through Basic Health and other such thoughts.  I have applied for medical assistance through the state and you won't believe what they told me.  No...really...you won't.  I was told that if I quit my job they will give me medical assistance, financial assistance and food benefits.  Sounds perfect right?  So why didn't I go this route?  Well I will tell you.  They would provide me with medical assistance sure...but they will take my child support away from me (which is collected through the office of support enforcement through garnishing the father) and give me $500 a month to live on.  HELLO!!!  My rent is more than $500 a month.  The repercussions of quitting my job would be severe.  I would lose my home, car, but most of all...I would lose custody of my children.  Quitting my job is NOT an option.  Period. 

I have done everything you can possibly think of, that is legal, to find the funds for this.  Trust me when I say that this is a last resort type of thing.  I have reached the end of my rapidly fraying rope.  I need medical help.  I cannot find any kind of assistance anywhere to help me with it.  I earn enough to support my children, give them a roof over their heads, food in their tummies, clothes on their backs and slurpees on Thursdays.  What I cannot afford are the ridiculous premium I would have to pay to get just BASIC insurance.  Basic meaning it won't cover what I need to have done.  I figure that if 20,000 people gave just $1.00 I would be all set!

I am a good woman.  I am a great mom.  I pay my bills. I pay my taxes and I don't break any major laws.  I'm a good person.  I just don't have health insurance and my health is demanding attention right now.  My health is wanting to speak to the greater public and pray for the kindness of strangers to allow me to have my life back.  A life where happiness and joy is present at all times.  Please...if it is in your heart and financial means...help me so my girls can have their mommy back. 

Where will your money go?  In a nutshell...it will go for bills associated with the MRI, surgery and my recovery time.  I do not see myself being off of work any longer than 6 weeks.  I've had so many surgeries, I'm a pro at healing.    I know when it's time to just lay my tush down and let the healing process begin.

Once all monies would be acquired I will post how much the procedure was and that the monies were applied directly to it. 

Currently I have a paypal account that would be happy to accept any amount you can give.  

If you have friends who are philanthropical...please feel free to forward my site onto them.  
 

 If you have any questions please feel free to email me at:

luv2beme37@aol.com

I will try to answer your email as quickly as I can.  Thank you so much for taking time out of your day to get to know a little about me and help me.