News from Erica

January 13, 2008

Hey all out there in computer land! I’m In Spokane this weekend. Its about 300 miles east of Seattle, My dad and I decided to leave gloomy Seattle for a few days...(as many cancer breaks as I can get the better) right now we are at my uncles house watching the football game...apparently its a big weekend for football...anyways, I have a naturopath appointment this week, hopefully I will get a vitamin drip too. they make me feel so good! I had a physical therapy appt last week that i had to cancel, I felt pretty crappy wed, thur, and fri. I feel much better today though. Change of scenery always helps...well, keep praying for me...have fun!!!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...: Well, Im feeling better day by day...If this is the worst they can throw at me, its not bad! I helped my uncle today, I went and shovled snow for about an hour, so I got my workout for the day. My Dad and I decided to stay here for as long as we can. Im going to try to get a vitamine drip while im here. Of course if the university of Wash. calls I will get back for that appointment, and if my Dr. calls and wants to take blood or something i guess i will have to go back. but right now im just going to enjoy being here...; 1/13/2008 4:13 PM
Anonymous said...: Hi All! I had another great day today. I shoveled more snow, im getting a great workout! My Dad and I are helping my uncle put an addition onto his shop, so we have a project while we are here. I did some reserch to try to get a vitamine infusion and I have to go to Spokane which is about an hour away(we are in a little town called Valley, which is about an hour north of Spokane)to get one however, so I might wait a couple of days. University of Wash. emailed me today! The woman Ive been corresponding with emailed me today and thanked me for dropping off my charts(which are like 3 inched thick!) and said she will contact me again either at the end of this week or early next week with an appointment time. They are going to review my charts in the meantime. Well, thats all the news for today....Peace out!; 1/14/2008 8:08 PM

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A little history

23 year old Erica Tomsha was born and raised in Fairbanks. Parents Mark and Anita are also long time Alaskans. Anita’s grandparents (Carlson) moved to Kodiak in the 40’s to work on WWII construction projects. From there the lure of gold drew them to Fairbanks. Anita’s dad followed and opened up Music Mart in Fairbanks 60 years ago. Mark moved to Fairbanks in the early 70’s.

From an early age Erica shared her mothers passion for horses. Learning to ride when she was 4 she quickly figured out she had to make sure her pony knew she was the boss. In elementary school she joined the Golden Heart 4-H club to continue to learn. As she got older she expanded her perspective to include IHA, ACTA, IHC, Pony Club, 4-H community service and leadership activities. She was an active member of the Tanana Whirlwinds 4-H group in high school and helped to advocate for and pass the limited liability for livestock bill which helps to insure personal responsibility for accidents occurring around livestock animals. That exposure to politics led her to an internship with Senator Stevens.

After attending UAF for a couple of years she decided to move to California where she could pursue her dream of working with horses. She has been actively training horses and riders and enjoying being around magnificent Grand Prix horses.

Although Erica had to move to Seattle for her cancer treatment she has continued to work and learn, giving riding lessons and training horses. She moved into an apartment of her own. Her father has been able to stay with her through most of her chemotherapy. Erica has lost her hair from her treatments but does not try to hide it. She encourages people to ask her about her cancer and is anxious to share her experience in the hope of teaching or providing comfort to others.Erica remains positive and upbeat. She appreciates all the concern and well wishes from her friends.

From Erica on December 6th

I want people to know that I found a lump last December that was about the size of a pencil eraser. I went to the clinic the next day and the nurse told me it was probably nothing, and because of my age it was very unlikely that it was serious. So naturally i believed her, and I continued on with my life as usual. However, 6 months later the pencil eraser grew to be the size of a golf ball in a week! So I went back to that clinic and the same nurse agreed that I probably needed a biopsy! DUH! 2 days later the same nurse told me I had Invasive Ductile Carcinoma, (I found out later that I was a stage 3a, 4 is terminal), and she told me this while crying. 2 days after that I came to Seattle because not having insurance limits my care options in California, and plus Seattle has better cancer hospitals, unless you go to UCLA or SanFran and being 300 miles away is just as hard as being 1500 miles away from home.

Being here has really changed my life; it has forced me to live in a different way (I have learned a lot about myself), it has forced me to DRAMATICALLY change my diet (which is the most important thing a cancer patient can do). I have had to watch my spending, it's hard to work when you're getting chemo once a week. I am working a little, and in return my boss (whose ex husband I live with) pays my rent. But there are so many things that the charity care program at Swedish Hospital does not cover, such as supplements and alternative treatments like acupuncture, vitamin infusions, and the cancer vaccine. It also doesn't pay for things like reconstructive surgery (which unless I want to be the one boobed wonder I will need to get). I don't have the price for this yet but i will get it as soon as I can. I have also definitely learned who my real friends are, the ones who care.

News from Erica

January 13, 2008

2 comments:

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