welcome to the forum Blanche! First off I'm sorry for your loss. I lost my mom in 1998 and it's still difficult for me to deal with.
There is a way to get a detailed medical exam that won't cost you a penny, however, I don't think that I could ethically come out tell you how to go about it. I will say this, if you are in fear for your life, you may want to look into a life insurance policy.
BTW beating around the bush isn't one of my strong points.
There may or may not be something in my "public profile" that explains why I may or may not have to beat around the bush. Damn I'm getting better at this.
Anyway, I wish you the best of luck! There are a lot of great people here that will help you along the way, you are not alone.