Help Jack and Karen Through Tough Times
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Jack Eddington and I reconnected at our 50th High School reunion and he is now married to Karen Phelps, another Wakefield Class of 1969 graduate. I have known Jack since elementary school. We attended Patrick Henry Elementary School, Thomas Jefferson Junior High School, and Wakefield High School. Together we shared quite a few classes and played sports together. We worked at Arlington ESSO—yes, that long ago—and we witnessed the name change to EXXON together. We both had 1966 GTOs and would park them at the side pumps to block them for the evening shift. I would schedule Jack, Larry McCombs, Keith Early, and myself to be off every Friday and Saturday night—party time. When Jack had his accident with his GTO, I gave blood at Arlington Hospital for him. Quite a history.
- A couple of years ago, I got a Christmas card from Jack and his wife. He stated that he had a stroke on a business trip to Dubai. I called him to see how he was doing. He said he was doing well and was going back to work. I was relieved to hear this. We talked a while later and he was on another business trip and he stated that he wasn't feeling well. When the call ended, I asked him to keep me posted. In 2022, Jack started to become ill, having regular attacks of pancreatitis about every 4 to 5 months. Later that year, his gallbladder was removed, which was supposed to prevent future attacks. This was not the case. For a short time, he was able to return to the job he loved. By 2023, he was unable to continue. Pancreatitis can be completely debilitating, often requiring long hospitalizations and long recovery times. As the attacks continued, he was again hospitalized with an unexplained attack in the fall of 2024. It was discovered he had a second gallbladder inside his liver, which astounded his new team of doctors and surgeons. It had been there since birth and was the seed of his ongoing painful illness. When it was removed, it was discovered to be cancerous. Pretty serious diagnosis, as he was already dealing with prostate cancer, which is now on hold to deal with the liver cancer. As one might imagine, the treatments are very expensive. While there is insurance, Medicare does not cover all costs such as copays, medications, and other medical items. It does not leave much money for living expenses, especially since Jack had to quit work before retirement. Fortunately, Jack has Karen, who is his full-time caregiver, to help him navigate his personal care and medical needs. Jack will begin 6 months of chemotherapy next week with an additional 6 weeks of radiation therapy for his prostate cancer when this phase is completed. I have started a GoFundMe account for Jack and Karen. I hope this will ease their journey moving forward. I would encourage everyone to include them in your prayers.
Organizer
Tim Goodwin
Organizer
East Lansing, MI