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- J
My story
On December 30, 2016, 13 days before my first colonoscopy, I was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, with metastasis to my liver. It was quite a way to welcome in the New Year. I was fortunate or unfortunate enough to (depending upon how you look at it) to have virtually no symptoms at all up until a few weeks before I was diagnosed. I went to my primary care doctor to ask about a mild discomfort that had developed just below my ribs, and three days later was in the emergency room due to abdominal pain so severe I could only crawl on my hands and knees.
What happened then...
To say the least, this kind of news was not only unexpected, but frightening and confusing. My greatest concern throughout was for my family, my wife Shannon, and my two beautiful kids, Christopher (12) and Erin (10), and what would happen to them, with whatever was going to happen to me. I was employed full time at a career the whole family was ultimately dependent on, and suddenly both my career and I (in many ways) were yanked away from them in the blink of an eye. Though I am physically still here, the disease, and often to an even greater extent, the treatment, leave me unable to do many of the things I was once responsible for, things that I once took for granted that I would always be able to do. One of many is paying the bills.
The law of unexpected consequences...
It came as a surprise to me just how expensive having cancer is. Like many families these days, we struggled from time to time, but always managed to squeak by, and always had food on the table, clothes to wear, and a lot of love to go around no matter what. As the months have worn on with this disease, I have begun to despair as far as our financial situation goes, as we drop further and further behind, and creditors (understandably) want to be paid, no matter what our personal situation was.
Where we are now
I am currently in treatment at Newton Wellesly Hospital, and am stable for the most part, although our future remains uncertain. I am humbly asking for help, in any way, help to alleviate the nagging worry that comes with financial instability in the face of a terrible disease, and the help that having one less worry will bring to myself and my family.
Any help is appreciated, with endless thanks from our family.
On December 30, 2016, 13 days before my first colonoscopy, I was diagnosed with stage four colon cancer, with metastasis to my liver. It was quite a way to welcome in the New Year. I was fortunate or unfortunate enough to (depending upon how you look at it) to have virtually no symptoms at all up until a few weeks before I was diagnosed. I went to my primary care doctor to ask about a mild discomfort that had developed just below my ribs, and three days later was in the emergency room due to abdominal pain so severe I could only crawl on my hands and knees.
What happened then...
To say the least, this kind of news was not only unexpected, but frightening and confusing. My greatest concern throughout was for my family, my wife Shannon, and my two beautiful kids, Christopher (12) and Erin (10), and what would happen to them, with whatever was going to happen to me. I was employed full time at a career the whole family was ultimately dependent on, and suddenly both my career and I (in many ways) were yanked away from them in the blink of an eye. Though I am physically still here, the disease, and often to an even greater extent, the treatment, leave me unable to do many of the things I was once responsible for, things that I once took for granted that I would always be able to do. One of many is paying the bills.
The law of unexpected consequences...
It came as a surprise to me just how expensive having cancer is. Like many families these days, we struggled from time to time, but always managed to squeak by, and always had food on the table, clothes to wear, and a lot of love to go around no matter what. As the months have worn on with this disease, I have begun to despair as far as our financial situation goes, as we drop further and further behind, and creditors (understandably) want to be paid, no matter what our personal situation was.
Where we are now
I am currently in treatment at Newton Wellesly Hospital, and am stable for the most part, although our future remains uncertain. I am humbly asking for help, in any way, help to alleviate the nagging worry that comes with financial instability in the face of a terrible disease, and the help that having one less worry will bring to myself and my family.
Any help is appreciated, with endless thanks from our family.