Story
Name
LouAnn Heath
Injury/Illness
Lung Cancer
I HAVE BE A NURSE SINCE I WAS 18 YRS OLD. I WAS FORTUNATE TO ATTEND A VOCATIONAL NURSING PROGRAM THE LAST 2 YRS OF HIGH SCHOOL. IN 1988, I MOVED TO FLORIDA, WHERE I DID HOME HEALTH CARE. I WAS ON THE ROAD A LOT TRAVELING TO & FROM PATIENTS, AND WAS IN 7 CAR ACCIDENTS SINCE 1990. I WAS NOT AT FAULT FOR ANY OF THEM. MY LAST ACCIDENT ON 12/8/2014, I WAS T-BONED AND MY CAR WAS TOTALED. I SUFFERED FROM A BACK INJURY AT THIS TIME. I TRIED TO CONTINUE TO WORK EVEN WITH SEVERE PAIN.
IN 2016, I HAD 3 BACK SURGERIES, THEN IN 2019 I HAD A SPINAL CORD STIMULATOR IMPLANTED. I STILL SUFFER WITH SEVERE PAIN AND UNABLE TO RETURN TO WORK. I GO TO PAIN MANAGEMENT ON A MONTHLY BASIS FOR MY PAIN MEDS & SPINAL INJECTIONS. I LIVE ON SOCIAL SECURITY, BECAUSE I CANNOT RETURN TO WORK, AND THIS CAUSES DEPRESSION FOR ME. I LOVED MY JOB AND CARING FOR THE ELDERLY. I DID ALOT OF WOUND CARE WHICH I WAS CONSIDERED A WOUND CARE NURSE BY MY AGENCIES. IT REALLY CRUSHES ME THAT I CAN'T WORK ANYMORE.
MOST RECENTLY, I HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH LUNG CANCER. MY TREATMENT IS RADIATION EVERY OTHER DAY FOR 5 TREATMENTS AND THEN A PET SCAN TO SEE IF THE CANCER IS GONE. IF THE CANCER IS NOT GONE, I MAY NEED ADDITIONAL RADIATION TREATMENTS. MY CO-PAY IS $50.00 PER TREATMENT. AND I ALSO HAVE A CO-PAY FOR THE PET SCAN & OTHER DIAGNOSTIC PROCEDURES. UNFORTUNATELY I'M UNABLE TO PAY THE CO-PAYS AND HAVE NO OTHER WAY TO GET THE MONEY.
THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH FOR HELPING ME IN MY TIME OF NEED.