(WSVN) - She had cancer and a tumor in her foot. Her insurance company refused to pay for it to be amputated. Then she contacted Help Me Howard with Patrick Fraser and got the surgery she desperately needed.
Tina arrived home with a smile, not thinking about what she had been through, wondering about us.
Tina Bakr: “How have you guys been?”
Patrick Fraser: “Forget us. How have you been?”
Tina Bakr: “I’m all right. I’m hanging in there.”
Twenty-two days ago, Tina went into the hospital where her leg was amputated.
Tina Bakr: “The pain was like nothing I ever felt. It was excruciating.”
But Tina doesn’t dwell on the negatives, just the positives.
Tina Bakr: “I’m very fortunate. I’ve had pain in the stump, of course, and the other things, other pains that I was having before. But I’m doing much better now.”
However, she should never should have lost her leg from the knee down.
Tina Bakr: “And I was informed that it was a synovial sarcoma.”
What started as a bump on Tina’s foot turned out to be cancer and a tumor.
Tina Bakr: “It breaks bones, nerves, tendons. It’s very destructive and it grows rapidly.”
When her bosses found out she had cancer, they fired her.
When her doctor said he needed to remove her foot, her insurance said no.
Months passed and the tumor grew.
Tina Bakr: “The tumor has wrapped itself around my ankle. So now it’s too late for a foot removal. Now I have to have a partial leg removal as well because of this waiting time.”
Tina appealed the insurance company’s decision when they denied the amputation again, she called Help Me Howard. After we contacted the state agency that administers medicaid, she got approval for the surgery.
Tina Bakr: “Oh, my God, yes. I’ve been praising you guys every day. I’m so overwhelmed with gratitude. So is my family.”
And now 22 days later, it’s amazing to see someone so happy to be able to use a walker.
Tina Bakr: “With my little bunny hop.”
It’s fascinating to hear Tina talk about having to build up the courage to look at the stump she now has.
Tina Bakr: “So the nurse had covered the leg and she was very gentle with me. She said, ‘I just want you to turn and look,’ and I looked at it and I said, ‘Oh, OK, not so bad.'”
And her warm smile grew brighter when we brought some flowers to surprise her.
Tina Bakr: “Oh, my God. Like sunflowers are my favorite. Oh, thank you so much. This is gorgeous. I can’t believe you guys did this.”
Her attitude is inspiring. Not thinking about living without her leg, planning what she will do when she walks again.
Tina Bakr: “And my prosthesis, I think, should be in by maybe Thanksgiving. So I’m waiting to cook and bake for Christmas.”
This was Tina before she got cancer. It changed her but it wont stop her.
Tina Bakr: “I am very excited because I, I sat here for months, just rotting, feeling like I was rotting.”
Not anymore. She feels lucky she called us. We feel lucky we got to know Tina.
Tina Bakr: “And now, thanks to you guys, the wheels were put in motion and now everything is moving forward very quickly, so I’m excited and I want my life back.”
A great attitude is so important.
I’ve always believed if you think great things are going to happen to you, they do. Tina is convinced she will be walking soon and I am sure she will.
Positive you have a problem? Don’t let the negatives negate your outlook. Cheer up and contact us. Together we can accomplish anything.
With this Help me Howard, I’m Patrick Fraser, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD:
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Patrick Fraser at pfraser@wsvn.com
Miami-Dade: 305-953-WSVN
Broward: 954-761-WSVN
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