Justin's Journey: Fighting to survive stage 4 cancer!

May 28, 2024 exactly one month after my 40th birthday a day I'll never forget. My partner Philip picked me up from work that afternoon, and I really was not feeling that great. I mentioned to him I was having this dull nagging chest pain and was going to just write it off as being tired and stressed from a long day at work (oddly enough I work for a pulmonologist). I told him I really did not want to go to the ER but I listened to reason and decided to go to urgent care instead.

We get to urgent care, they do your basic blood tests, EKG, and chest X-ray. As I am waiting for my results the nurse rushes into the waiting area and brings me back to the exam room where the doctor is waiting. She tells me that my lab tests are suggesting I have a pulmonary embolism and that I needed to get to the main hospital (Kaiser Irvine) for a CT Angiogram.

I arrive at Kaiser Irvine only to be told I needed to be admitted to the ER so I could receive IV steroids and Benadryl to prevent me from having a reaction to the iodine. The IV Benadryl caused me to pass out instantly . I woke up not in the ER but now in a hospital room on a medical/surgical unit being admitted .

This is when I found out I had a:

*5.3 x 2.6 cm anterior mediastinal soft tissue mass in my chest.

After extensive testing I found out I have a rare type of cancer, a tumor called a Thymoma which is on my thymus. There are only 400 cases per year in the US. Sadly mine is Stage 4 as it has metastasized to one of my lungs and chest wall.

At this time I am out of work due to being on Percocet and MS Contin (morphine) for the pain. I will soon be starting chemotherapy and radiation treatments and will know Friday when they will operate (lung resection and chest wall resection). I have never been more terrified in my life. I just turned 40. I am not ready to die. I am going to fight this with all I can. Nothing is off the table. I am ready for the fight. Well as ready as one can be.

During this battle I will need help as temporary disability pays not a fraction of what I normally make working. Rent, copays, monthly premiums so I can keep my insurance, food, electric bills, etc

Sadly none of these expenses stop when we get sick.

Every dollar helps and even if you can't donate all I ask is that you please keep me in your prayers.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I'll keep everyone updated throughout this journey.

Love you all!

Justin