Woman Given Just Weeks to Live After Rare Diagnosis
Imagine being 32 years old and finding out that you had an aggressive and incurable form of cancer that would kill you in a matter of weeks without treatment. That’s the reality facing Michaela Grace Coy, who goes by @_michaelagrace on Instagram.
The Australian native shared her story on Instagram, explaining how a tender spot on her face turned into a death sentence when doctors discovered that she had a rare form of sinus cancer that had infiltrated her brain. To operate would be too dangerous, so doctors instead suggested chemotherapy to treat the disease.
However, they gave her a bleak prognosis when suggesting the treatment, since it would only give her a few extra months if she decided to move forward with it. Now, Coy’s story is going viral as she tries to make the most of her remaining time, telling everyone she can to make “every moment count.”
The Daily Mail has also spoken with Coy, learning how much has changed since she shared her story, and just how much support she’s getting from her nearest and dearest.
Coy Thought She Had a Weird Pimple
According to the Daily Mail, Coy’s trouble started as a small tender spot on the side of her nose. While she initially thought it was just a pimple, she made a mental note to call the doctor about the issue. She told the outlet that she hadn’t really been that worried, even when she realized she was feeling much more fatigued than normal.
That’s because Coy worked multiple jobs and had a busy social life, which included a mix of volunteering and horseback riding. “I lived quite a full life and was doing a lot, so I thought I was probably just tired,” she recalled. However, when she went to see the doctor, a CT scan was ordered.
The results pointed to a facial fracture that included her nose and eye socket, two places Coy had no memory of hitting. Originally, the doctors thought they might be dealing with a blocked sinus or possible abscess, so they decided to operate and drain the area. But once they got in there and discovered there was nothing to drain, they took a tissue sample.
Coy says she received the shocking news that she had cancer two weeks later during an early morning phone call with her doctor.
Coy Was Writing in a Gratitude Journal When She Got the Call
The phone rang at 6:30 a.m. while Coy sat on the beach. “I’d been writing gratitude about my nose, that I’m so grateful for my nose because it helps me breathe,” she recalled. Her doctor asked her to come to the hospital immediately, scheduling more tests and procedures to figure out what would come next. After she found out the cancer had made it to her brain, the doctors revealed that it would be too dangerous to operate.
Instead, they offered her two bleak options: chemotherapy or a shortened lifespan. Coy said she was afraid of the chemo after watching a family member deal with it, but ultimately ended up choosing that option. But instead of starting right away like the doctors wanted her to, she asked for 48 hours to get her affairs in order and to tell her close friends and family in person.
Once that was done, she posted a video on Instagram telling everyone else, which quickly went viral.
People Rallied Around Coy
It’s easy to see why so many people have been drawn to Coy’s story, especially since she’s handling everything with such a positive outlook. A GoFundMe has raised more than $37,000 for her, and she says her friends have been showing up to support her in a major way during her treatment.
She hopes to be able to use whatever money is left over from her medical treatments to help fund therapy for those who can’t afford it as part of her legacy.
According to the American Cancer Society, cancers like the one Coy was diagnosed with are extremely rare. In fact, cancer in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses accounts for less than 1 percent of all cancers in the U.S. Unfortunately, they don’t have specific symptoms, which is one of the reasons why they aren’t typically found until they’ve advanced enough to cause other issues.
