# In which Maggie asks for help (Gofundme) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 8, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818 "2018-12-08T20:13:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2018, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/1 "2018-12-08T20:13:03Z")
So. Those who have been following along may remember [this](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=768866) thread that I started in 2015, when i was first diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. In the 3 1/2 years since my diagnosis, my life has pretty much continued on - able to work full time, do most of the stuff I like to do, etc. Now, though, that has changed. On the day after Thanksgiving, my oncologist told me that the most recent MRI showed that my primary tumor, on the corner of Colon & Rectum, has regrown to approximately the size it was when this all started. That is to say, it has become resistant to the various chemotherapies we have thrown at it, and we’re pretty much out of chemo drugs. And now everything is different. And now I need help. I have gone on Disability from work, which means my income is reduced. Fortunately, our lease expires on 1/1, and we will be able to move in to a much cheaper apartment next to my parents, so they will be able to help my husband care for me. We’ll need to pay for movers, plus storage (downshifting from a 2-bedroom to a 1-bedroom), plus I would like to see a doctor at USC for a second opinion and Kaiser generally won’t pay for that. My folks started a Gofundme a couple days ago, and my friends have been very kind. Our initial goal has been met, which takes care of immediate needs, but we are continuing to raise money for future issues - I’ll need to deal with COBRA stuff, for one thing, and that ain’t cheap. If any Dopers could help out, I would totally appreciate it. Gofundme link: [Mona (Maggie) Hall's Cancer & Final Expences Fund, organized by Susan Connors](https://www.gofundme.com/mona-maggie-hall039s-cancer-battle-fund) This post approved by the PTB. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/2 "2018-12-08T20:55:23Z")
Best wishes. You might look into the possibility of a clinical trial: > **[Finding a Clinical Trial](https://www.cancer.net/research-and-advocacy/clinical-trials/finding-clinical-trial)** > > Cancer researchers are constantly creating new clinical trials to help find ways to improve cancer treatment, care, and prevention. Many organizations list open clinical trials online to help people find a research study that may be appropriate for... ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2018, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/3 "2018-12-08T21:03:10Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Best wishes. > > You might look into the possibility of a clinical trial: > [https://www.cancer.net/research-and-advocacy/clinical-trials/finding-clinical-trial](https://www.cancer.net/research-and-advocacy/clinical-trials/finding-clinical-trial) Thats one of the reasons I want to see Dr. Lentz at USC - he’s involved with or aware of a lot of trials - USC having a much higher interest in research, etc than Kaiser does. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/4 "2018-12-10T03:25:55Z")
I gave a bit. I’m hoping things go your way, **Maggie**. StG ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 5:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/5 "2018-12-10T05:55:28Z")
I chipped in. I hope you can see that doctor soon. Best wishes. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/6 "2018-12-10T19:25:21Z")
Thank you very much. I’m working on it! ---
**Author:** ![Tapiotar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@Tapiotar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapiotar)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2018, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/7 "2018-12-10T23:05:29Z")
All the best luck in the world, Maggie. We need more healthy ocelots in the world! ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/8 "2018-12-13T00:13:36Z")
You mentioned disability and COBRA. Does your employer offer disability income insurance? I would have thought you’d still be eligible for employer-funded healthcare, if so, but I guess not. Have you applied for SSDI yet? If not, do that; Medicaid is better than nothing (I assume). ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/9 "2018-12-13T01:48:16Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > You mentioned disability and COBRA. Does your employer offer disability income insurance? I would have thought you’d still be eligible for employer-funded healthcare, if so, but I guess not. > > Have you applied for SSDI yet? If not, do that; Medicaid is better than nothing (I assume). If you have Kaiser then you can’t get regular Medicaid, which is the payer of last resort. However Medicaid may have a program that helps pay the premiums of your commercial insurance. At least that’s how it works in Massachusetts. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/10 "2018-12-13T02:58:07Z")
> [@jaycat](#): > > If you have Kaiser then you can’t get regular Medicaid, which is the payer of last resort. However Medicaid may have a program that helps pay the premiums of your commercial insurance. At least that’s how it works in Massachusetts. That’s worth checking into. However: my thinking was that if Maggie can be qualified for SSDI, she might qualify for Medicaid **instead of** Kaiser. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/11 "2018-12-13T05:24:24Z")
I’ll second the SSDI. Get an attorney if you can. They won’t charge you until the Disability is approved. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/12 "2018-12-13T16:53:55Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > That’s worth checking into. > > However: my thinking was that if Maggie can be qualified for SSDI, she might qualify for Medicaid **instead of** Kaiser. That’s also a possibility. In Mass. if you qualify for SSDI you are automatically eligible for Medicaid. I would strongly urge Maggie to apply for both. ---
**Author:** ![Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@Maggie\_the\_Ocelot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maggie_the_Ocelot)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/13 "2018-12-13T21:39:26Z")
I’ll definitely look into that. As it is, my work will pay for my health insurance for up to 6 months while I’m on disability, though I have to pay them back for my portion when I quit or return to work. After that I will have to either do COBRA or Medicaid (if allowed) or find insurance thru Obamacare. Many, many thanks to the Dopers who have contributed. Yet another reason to love the community which is this message board. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [December 13, 2018, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/14 "2018-12-13T22:22:49Z")
Please keep us posted. I’m interested to hear what happens with your Medicaid. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [December 14, 2018, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/15 "2018-12-14T07:50:00Z")
I haven’t been on the boards much lately; I’m glad I saw this. I kicked in $10. I would like to have sent one of our spiffy new vertically-oriented plastic $10 notes, but just pinging my Koho (prepaid Visa) card is so much easier… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/16 "2019-09-17T11:17:56Z")
I just donated a little bit. Rest in Peace, **Maggie the Ocelot**. ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/17 "2019-09-17T14:03:51Z")
> [@Bullitt](#): > > I just donated a little bit. Rest in Peace, **Maggie the Ocelot**. Wait, she died? ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/18 "2019-09-17T14:08:45Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Wait, she died? A few days ago. Skip to the end of this thread… > **[Ask the woman with stage 4 colon cancer! \[update - Maggie has passed away\]](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=768866)** > > Hey y’all! Soooo at the beginning of June I was diagnosed with colon cancer, which had metastasized\* into my lungs and possibly my liver. Because it’s spread so far (and mostly to my lungs), it’s considered incurable, and I’m not currently... ---
**Author:** ![Slash1972](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slash1972/32/6461_2.png) [@Slash1972](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slash1972)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/19 "2019-09-17T14:24:27Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > A few days ago. > Skip to the end of this thread… > [Ask the woman with stage 4 colon cancer! [update - Maggie has passed away] - Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share - Straight Dope Message Board](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=768866) Oh ok, thank you. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2019, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818/20 "2019-09-17T18:46:04Z")
More precisely from Post 162 on, which says: > [@](#): > > RIP, she has passed away: > Quote: > Thank you all for your help in getting Maggie & Nico moved and continuing her medical care. We had hoped we would get at least a year with her close by but the cancer became chemo resistant and the meds were no longer helping her. She decided to stop treatment and enjoy the balance of her life; close to family & seeing her friends. > > We had several good months, but in June it started to get more difficult. We were able to make a trip north for a 4th of July family celebration but after that, even day trips became painful. She decided to go on hospice care in mid-July because the trips to Kaiser Hollywood were too hard anymore. > > She was enjoying having visitors the last few weeks, but on the night of 9/11 through the early morning 9/12 she had a big change in her cognitive abilities. She was restless; her breathing became shallow and she was having more pain. Her nursing staff gave her a patch for pain and she slept a while, then slowly faded away around 5:40pm. > > She is gone. > > People keep asking what they can do so we decided to reopen this GoFundMe for those that want to contribute to her final expenses. > > She planned the whole funeral/memorial herself, preparing for months even when she was working. I did the final research for her at home & she made the choices between options. This is her last big extravaganza & she planned it with love. > [https://www.gofundme.com/f/mona-magg...5b84f7b5b84a74](https://www.gofundme.com/f/mona-magg...5b84f7b5b84a74) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-which-maggie-asks-for-help-gofundme/825818.md?page=2)