Please help us save our home?

First of all, I want to say a very humble thank-you to those that have helped us recently and in the past.  We've been helped by family, friends, Churches and complete strangers throughout the ordeals we've faced over the past four years. Sometimes that help was financial.  Other times, it was  a helping hand taking care of my children, hugs and words of encouragement, assistance with cleaning my house, food preparation, and--most importantly--prayers for comfort and healing.  God has been very merciful and you all have been so very kind to us.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

      A friend suggested this idea as a means to help myself and my family in a time of great need.  Many of you know the excruciating trials we've experienced in recent years, but for those who don't I will explain. 

      In 2008--two days after learning that my husband had lost his dream job--we found out that we were expecting our fourth child quite by surprise.  This child was born with bilateral clubfoot, meaning both his little feet were turned inward.  He had to have thigh-length casts for several weeks, two foot surgeries and then had to wear a brace at night.  What was worse, though, was that he failed to thrive and had to be hospitalized at 3-months.  He had a swallow function disorder and was unable to eat anything by mouth for several months.  Instead, we had to feed him by tube until he was a year old.

      When he was 15-months-old, it was determined that our little John no longer needed his feeding tube and we rejoiced when it was removed.  However, something was wrong with ME.  I had been having digestive issues for a while that I had attributed to pregnancy and childbirth.  I tried all the normal treatments and even went to the doctor to no avail.  When our baby was 19-months-old, I had to be rushed to the hospital.  At the end of that horrible day, I learned that I had colon cancer.  The next week, I was informed that we had NOT caught it in time--it had spread to the liver.

      I spent the next 9 months enduring radiation and chemotherapy that very nearly killed me by itself.  I lost an extreme amount of weight and my friends couldn't recognize me.  I missed being in the hospital for one of my son's surgeries because of the chemo.  In April 2011, I underwent a major surgery to remove the primary colon tumor, resect my liver and place what was SUPPOSED to be a temporary ileostomy.  This meant that for the next several months, I would have to wear an ostomy appliance at all times to take care of what my colon could not.  It took three months to find a proper fitting appliance that didn't leak. Leakage caused scalding of the skin, major embarrassment and a hindrance to any family plans we had.  I was very much looking forward to NOT having it anymore.

      In September of that same year, I went back in for testing to see if the cancer was gone and if I could have the ostomy reversed.  Instead, I found out that the cancer was worse--the tumors in my liver were LARGER.  The chemo had stopped working.  Because I had no insurance, the small town doctor's office was unable to help me any further.  He wanted me to transfer to a major big-city hospital and apply for assistance to receive more extensive chemotherapy.  He didn't give me much hope.  He told me that even with chemo, my days were numbered.  So I decided not to pursue it any further.  If I was to only have 5 more years to live, I wasn't going to live them in a sickbed.  I had children to care for!

      At this point, I decided to pursue alternative methods of cancer treatment.  Miraculously, though slowly, the alternatives are working to reduce the cancer!  I am very thankful to God for this because now I have the hope renewed to see my children reach adulthood and perhaps meet my grandchildren.  For the short term I am hoping that I can eventually have this ostomy reversed.  However, I still have no insurance, so my ostomy supplies must be bought out-of-pocket.  I can't afford to order them direct, so I have to find alternatives like eBay and OstoGroup.  Lately, I can't even afford to do THAT.  I  have several unpaid bills remaining from my surgery and subsequent testing procedures as well and want so much to get them off my back.

      My husband has been strong throughout these trials, but lately the weight has become too heavy. The extreme stress of this constant emotional and financial battle has begun to cause him health problems as well.  These issues have prevented him from working steadily for several months and we've had to incur more personal debt just to keep the lights on, the water flowing and Eddie's business afloat.  He works so hard, but we just can't seem to see daylight.  The burden is great and I am not able to help carry it right now.  I am very worried for him.

      These are the reasons that I have started this page.  Any donations that we receive will be used to cover unpaid medical bills, to purchase my ostomy supplies, to catch up our monthly obligations such as mortgage, electricity, water and vehicle bills, and to pay down some of our personal debts.  Any help you extend is appreciated more than we can say.  If you choose not to donate, I ask only that you share the link to this page as you see fit.  Many thanks to you for visiting.  May God bless you abundantly!

With much love and appreciation,

Janet Dungan 

PS  To those who would, please pray to our Great God for His mercy, grace, and continued healing.  Thank you!