When most people think of breast cancer symptoms, they think of finding a lump. However, for one Fayetteville woman, her diagnosis was very different.
Christine Burnside Dickerson had always done her self breast exams, but had never felt anything unusual. "I just had a swollen arm. I had gone to the doctor. They thought it was arthritis, but arthritis medicine wasn't working, Then, I went to the ER with what I thought was the flu and ER doctor noticed swelling," says Dickerson.
an MRI confirmed it was cancer in her in her breast and had spread to her lymph nodes."When we heard it had mastecized to bones, it just kicked us in the face. I mean i was prepared for a masectomy, that's normal treatment," says Dickerson.
W week later, Christine was preparing to begin and chemo, only to learn her insurance through her husband's part time job health insurance had lapsed. "They say keeping your hopes up is a big part of the battle of fighting cancer and it's hard to do when you're worried about finances, how you're going to be able to keep your job," says Dickerson.
Now, Christine's daughter Rachelle is doing all she can to help her mom who continues to keep children in her in home day care. They just learned they are getting some help with christmas presents through United Way. "When she called me, she said well what do you need. I was like well right now what we need is help with medical bills," says Cagle
The bills have pilled up to nearly $35,000 dollars in pending claimsthat may or may not be paid by their insurance company. With or without insurance or whatever medical assistance you have, the cost is just overwhelming, just overwhelming."
To help out with Christine's medical expenses, just visit any Arvest Bank location and ask for the Christine Burnside Dickerson Breast Cancer Fund. The family is also planning a benefit concert in January.
Christine Burnside Dickerson had always done her self breast exams, but had never felt anything unusual. "I just had a swollen arm. I had gone to the doctor. They thought it was arthritis, but arthritis medicine wasn't working, Then, I went to the ER with what I thought was the flu and ER doctor noticed swelling," says Dickerson.
an MRI confirmed it was cancer in her in her breast and had spread to her lymph nodes."When we heard it had mastecized to bones, it just kicked us in the face. I mean i was prepared for a masectomy, that's normal treatment," says Dickerson.
W week later, Christine was preparing to begin and chemo, only to learn her insurance through her husband's part time job health insurance had lapsed. "They say keeping your hopes up is a big part of the battle of fighting cancer and it's hard to do when you're worried about finances, how you're going to be able to keep your job," says Dickerson.
Now, Christine's daughter Rachelle is doing all she can to help her mom who continues to keep children in her in home day care. They just learned they are getting some help with christmas presents through United Way. "When she called me, she said well what do you need. I was like well right now what we need is help with medical bills," says Cagle
The bills have pilled up to nearly $35,000 dollars in pending claimsthat may or may not be paid by their insurance company. With or without insurance or whatever medical assistance you have, the cost is just overwhelming, just overwhelming."
To help out with Christine's medical expenses, just visit any Arvest Bank location and ask for the Christine Burnside Dickerson Breast Cancer Fund. The family is also planning a benefit concert in January.
