Help a Veteran with cancer
Donation protected
Hello everyone, I am Theresa Genzling, for some of you who know my husband James, "Jimi" to all his friends, what I am about to say will be no surprise, so let me tell those who don't know him about him and why we could use a bit of help.
Anyone who has ever meet Jimi will know that he will do anything to help a stranger, acquaintance or friend to the point it would interrupt his efforts in something else he was doing and he would stay at it till whoever it was need is satisfied or he has found someone who can satisfy it. No matter the need he has always given of himself to help others, especially if it involves a Veteran. Ever since I have known him, (since 1977), he has always been going and going, seams he was the prototype "energizer bunny". Like when we used to do Christmas for Our Troops, I would watch him run 20 hours a day setting up collections, picking them up, sorting until the early hours of the morning, grab a few cat naps, (including the cats), and then coffee up and get at it again. Four years ago when we were ground zero for a 52" flood and practically lost everything I watched him endlessly working to clean, disinfect and rebuild a place for me to be safe, dry and comfortable. Some, mostly 80% of what needed to be done is still unfinished, but, I am safe, dry and comfortable, mainly because he is here and still never quits, well, almost. The one thing that has never changed about him is the never ending love and caring he has for me, and his desire to keep me comfortable and happy. And I am.
For the last several years he has built a business from the ground up doing gun shows with his custom work and a full line of parts, accessories and equipment, (along with bucket loads of help to our customers, weather they can pay or not). It has been a lot of fun and we make enough to keep it going and also to keep up with the constant "Honey Do" list he has here. We have never missed a show, until last week.
Now that you have a bit of understanding of who I am married to you may understand why this is a bit embarrassing for him, he has always been the one to help, not ask for it. But I understand what has happened, and how it will effect the future, and we need it.
Christmas day 1018 Jimi downloaded his "Blue Button" from his Veterans portal on My Healthy Vet for some labs and notes for our daughter Amanda. Visiting with her before Christmas she kept complaining about his weight loss and wanted some answers. She is a BSN-RN at Hendrik Hospital in Abilene Texas. He sent her the 33 page download and didn't think of it again for a few hours. When he did go back to close it out he scanned across it and got stuck on page 32. There were the doctors notes on a C-scan with contrast he had the day before we left to see Amanda. Under findings it stated, "2cm Mass, Pancreatic Cancer". The day after Christmas he was on the phone to his GI doctor at the VA hospital in Albuquerque NM. I am proud to say that his VA is not the one you hear about on the news. He brags as to how he is treated with gold star service from all his doctors, nurses and techs, Best medical care there is in his words. And they proved it again. From January 3rd on it was as if he was the only patient his team had to concern with. Expedited appointments for tests, biopsies, planning and finally on March 1, comprehensive surgery in Tucson AZ. for a Whipple Procedure. If you aren't familiar with it, look it up, I was scared for him when I understood that they were going to remove part of his pancreas, stomach and part of his small intestine. It has left him with a stomach about the size of a tennis ball after what they removed was about the size of a nurff football, (what the doctors explained), and a feeding tube to supplement his diet and get his weight up before the Chemo. Of 26 lymph nodes, 17 showed cancer. The 25th we have our first planning appointment with the Oncologist about what is ahead. Jimi had maintained a steady weight of 150 to 160 pounds since I have known him. Last week he was down to 110 and today is up to 112.8. The doctor and a counselor seam to think his concern for me and the lack of money is stressing him some and making gaining weight more difficult.
The one constant we have it God. God is definatly in this for the long haul, as he has been from the begining, we just have to remember that. The most difficult thing to keep in front of us during this is that God does have a plan, and is in control, we just have to remember that. That is the reason we ask for prayers, our faith is not shaken, is is just misplaced at times when the pain gets up so much that Jimi wont say a word, but I can read all of it on his face, and it hurts me. We have faith of getting over and thru this, I just get so tired sometimes constantly watching over him. My strenght and faith needs a boost several times a day, as does his.
I am doing what I can to keep him up and cheerful, but missing the gun show weighs on him because we didn't have any deposits and have 3 days of travel and accommodations to take care of next Monday. And the same think weekly after that and we don't know what or where we will be doing chemo or the demands it will put on him and his little body. With the stress the surgery and recovery along with the weight loss he cant spend 8 to 10 hours working in the shop for customers and projects for the gun shows. He will work out there for a couple hours, come in, eat a bit, rest a while and then try to do it again. I hate seeing him so discouraged by not doing what he loves to do. He just dosent have the energy to get going and when he does he runs out after just a short time. But, being him, he tries to push it more than I think he should. He is restricted from lifting anything over 8#s and keeps talking about getting on the roof to fix it before the rains come and getting materials to fix some needed repairs he was working on before the surgery, some involving ladders and sheetrock. I almost have to chain him down to keep him from doing something stupid and tering up the surgery before it completely heals, (another 2 months they say for safety).
Now that you have a basic understanding of what my husband was like, and how this has affected him mentally and physically, you might be able to see why I am asking for help. Several friends have suggested do this, Jimi is kind of torn by it, but he does agree that we cant make it without at least some help.
What we are hoping is that we can gather at least enough to help cover the travel, food and accommodations over the next however long we will be at this. We would also ask that you please keep Jimi in your prayers, if you do have a relationship with our Savior, and talk with him. If you don't, and would like to meet him, we can help with that as well.
Thank you all in advance for listening, I will answer any questions and also endeavor to keep you all informed as to progress if you like.
Thank you again,
Theresa Genzling
Anyone who has ever meet Jimi will know that he will do anything to help a stranger, acquaintance or friend to the point it would interrupt his efforts in something else he was doing and he would stay at it till whoever it was need is satisfied or he has found someone who can satisfy it. No matter the need he has always given of himself to help others, especially if it involves a Veteran. Ever since I have known him, (since 1977), he has always been going and going, seams he was the prototype "energizer bunny". Like when we used to do Christmas for Our Troops, I would watch him run 20 hours a day setting up collections, picking them up, sorting until the early hours of the morning, grab a few cat naps, (including the cats), and then coffee up and get at it again. Four years ago when we were ground zero for a 52" flood and practically lost everything I watched him endlessly working to clean, disinfect and rebuild a place for me to be safe, dry and comfortable. Some, mostly 80% of what needed to be done is still unfinished, but, I am safe, dry and comfortable, mainly because he is here and still never quits, well, almost. The one thing that has never changed about him is the never ending love and caring he has for me, and his desire to keep me comfortable and happy. And I am.
For the last several years he has built a business from the ground up doing gun shows with his custom work and a full line of parts, accessories and equipment, (along with bucket loads of help to our customers, weather they can pay or not). It has been a lot of fun and we make enough to keep it going and also to keep up with the constant "Honey Do" list he has here. We have never missed a show, until last week.
Now that you have a bit of understanding of who I am married to you may understand why this is a bit embarrassing for him, he has always been the one to help, not ask for it. But I understand what has happened, and how it will effect the future, and we need it.
Christmas day 1018 Jimi downloaded his "Blue Button" from his Veterans portal on My Healthy Vet for some labs and notes for our daughter Amanda. Visiting with her before Christmas she kept complaining about his weight loss and wanted some answers. She is a BSN-RN at Hendrik Hospital in Abilene Texas. He sent her the 33 page download and didn't think of it again for a few hours. When he did go back to close it out he scanned across it and got stuck on page 32. There were the doctors notes on a C-scan with contrast he had the day before we left to see Amanda. Under findings it stated, "2cm Mass, Pancreatic Cancer". The day after Christmas he was on the phone to his GI doctor at the VA hospital in Albuquerque NM. I am proud to say that his VA is not the one you hear about on the news. He brags as to how he is treated with gold star service from all his doctors, nurses and techs, Best medical care there is in his words. And they proved it again. From January 3rd on it was as if he was the only patient his team had to concern with. Expedited appointments for tests, biopsies, planning and finally on March 1, comprehensive surgery in Tucson AZ. for a Whipple Procedure. If you aren't familiar with it, look it up, I was scared for him when I understood that they were going to remove part of his pancreas, stomach and part of his small intestine. It has left him with a stomach about the size of a tennis ball after what they removed was about the size of a nurff football, (what the doctors explained), and a feeding tube to supplement his diet and get his weight up before the Chemo. Of 26 lymph nodes, 17 showed cancer. The 25th we have our first planning appointment with the Oncologist about what is ahead. Jimi had maintained a steady weight of 150 to 160 pounds since I have known him. Last week he was down to 110 and today is up to 112.8. The doctor and a counselor seam to think his concern for me and the lack of money is stressing him some and making gaining weight more difficult.
The one constant we have it God. God is definatly in this for the long haul, as he has been from the begining, we just have to remember that. The most difficult thing to keep in front of us during this is that God does have a plan, and is in control, we just have to remember that. That is the reason we ask for prayers, our faith is not shaken, is is just misplaced at times when the pain gets up so much that Jimi wont say a word, but I can read all of it on his face, and it hurts me. We have faith of getting over and thru this, I just get so tired sometimes constantly watching over him. My strenght and faith needs a boost several times a day, as does his.
I am doing what I can to keep him up and cheerful, but missing the gun show weighs on him because we didn't have any deposits and have 3 days of travel and accommodations to take care of next Monday. And the same think weekly after that and we don't know what or where we will be doing chemo or the demands it will put on him and his little body. With the stress the surgery and recovery along with the weight loss he cant spend 8 to 10 hours working in the shop for customers and projects for the gun shows. He will work out there for a couple hours, come in, eat a bit, rest a while and then try to do it again. I hate seeing him so discouraged by not doing what he loves to do. He just dosent have the energy to get going and when he does he runs out after just a short time. But, being him, he tries to push it more than I think he should. He is restricted from lifting anything over 8#s and keeps talking about getting on the roof to fix it before the rains come and getting materials to fix some needed repairs he was working on before the surgery, some involving ladders and sheetrock. I almost have to chain him down to keep him from doing something stupid and tering up the surgery before it completely heals, (another 2 months they say for safety).
Now that you have a basic understanding of what my husband was like, and how this has affected him mentally and physically, you might be able to see why I am asking for help. Several friends have suggested do this, Jimi is kind of torn by it, but he does agree that we cant make it without at least some help.
What we are hoping is that we can gather at least enough to help cover the travel, food and accommodations over the next however long we will be at this. We would also ask that you please keep Jimi in your prayers, if you do have a relationship with our Savior, and talk with him. If you don't, and would like to meet him, we can help with that as well.
Thank you all in advance for listening, I will answer any questions and also endeavor to keep you all informed as to progress if you like.
Thank you again,
Theresa Genzling
Organizer
Jimi Genzling
Organizer
Seven Rivers, NM
