Last year Olivia (not her real name) was dealing with pain in her arm, but when it started to swell, she got concerned. It took a few tries to find a doctor willing to do the work to diagnose the cause, which turned out to be an aggressive sarcoma. By the time she was correctly diagnosed, the tumor had grown to nearly encircle her whole arm. Percocet had become a necessity in her life.
The treatment started with aggressive chemotherapy that required bedrest and hospital stays every 3 months. With treatment that intense, she experienced some severe side effects requiring more hospitalization. Then came 33 rounds of radiation and surgery.
It has been a busy year.
So on top of all the physical challenges, she says, “Can you imagine the copays for all of this?!”
Olivia’s Nurse Advocate connected her with Limb Preservation Foundation. The LPF Patient Assistance Fund provided Olivia with financial assistance with her rent so she could focus on healing.
Cancer-free since November and managing her pain with Tylenol, she is now going through occupational therapy and on the road to healing. She is grateful to the Limb Preservation Foundation for taking worry off her mind during this time.
