As a nurse and single mom of two, Michelle RedElk has always given back to others.
"I like taking care of people. That's kind of, that's my thing. That's what I do," said Michelle.
"When I get sick she's right there," said Wally RedElk, Michelle's mom.
It was not until the summer of 2016 when Michelle needed the help of her own.
"I had melanoma a couple of years ago. I had a spot on my back that just looked kind of funny, so I had it biopsied, and it came up melanoma. So, I had to go through surgery for that," Michelle said.
She beat cancer, but that was just the beginning of her medical problems.
Six months ago, she started to have bad headaches.
"MRI came back and I had three aneurysms," said Michelle.
"We were like, 'Oh my God.' You don't hear about aneurysms on people that are alive. You hear, 'She died of an aneurysm,'" said Wally.
Next week, Michelle will have brain surgery and doctors tell her the surgery is not easy.
"They're not your typical aneurysms, so what they would typically do to fix them, coil them or go in and clip them. Clipping them would be dangerous and you can't coil them," said Michelle.
She said the best neurosurgeon for this surgery is in Arizona, where she will have to travel from her home in Central Texas, and it is not cheap.
"Because they don't have a contract with my insurance, so $20,733 is going to be my portion," Michelle said.
The community has come together to help her raise those funds.
"People that I know. People that I don't know. Family, friends just rallying around me and supporting me has been the hugest thing," said Michelle.
Michelle said, no matter the cost, it is worth it.
"My babies. I have to be here you know. I have to be fully functioning," said Michelle.
Michelle's surgery is scheduled for Monday, and her friends and family have started a GoFundMe Page to help pay for her medical expenses.
The page titled "Brain Surgery for single mom of two boys!" has raised just over $3,000.
Copyright 2018 KXXV. All rights reserved.
