Cancer...2nd time around
Donation protected
Short story... my cancer is back.. round 2.
Long story:
In early 2010 my primary care doctor noticed some peculiar things in my bloodwork during an annual routine checkup. Upon further testing, it was determined that I had Prostate Cancer. At that time, I was told although it was against the odds of me getting it at that early age, we were lucky to have caught it.
In April of 2011, I had my Prostate robotically removed at Roswell Cancer Park in Buffalo NY. This should have been the end of this chapter... it wasn't! After 4 years (2015) of regular checkups, my bloodwork showed signs of a return... again against all odds!!!! We watched (I won't say patiently) for the next 2 years to be sure it wasn't just spikes in the numbers. It wasn't... they continued to rise (and continuing to) until the doctors concluded we shouldn't wait any longer. So in April 2017, the doctors said lets get going on treatment. The teatment is: a few tests to determine exactly where it is, and 5 days a week for 8 weeks of radiation. Herein lies the problem... my health insurance ended in December of 2016. "Ok" they said "it will cost about $75,000, how do you want to pay for this?" I CAN'T so they do nothing. After feverishly trying everything from applying for medicaid, speaking with American Cancer Society, to everyone and everything I could think of , finally I was able to get Veterans benefits (I served in the US Navy)(by the way, I will be able to get "affordable health care" in January next year... with even less benefits). Please understand that although I am grateful to have this, the term "benefits" is used very loosely. They don't want to do all the tests that Roswell was going to, just what they think they can get away with ?????? I am relegated to getting only what they deem required and have no intent of any advanced treatments that I can recieve right down the road (20 minutes) from me (the VA hospital is 1.5 hours from me on a good day).
Because of the odds that I keep NOT beating, I expect this will not be the last time I will be battling cancer.
What I am trying to raise the money for is to get a guaranteed issue health policy. It will cost almost $1,000/month with a $10,000 deductable, then I will be able to go to the specialist that deal with this sort of thing everyday and get the treatment I should be getting.
I and my wife, my brothers, my parents, my inlaws have always been there to help anyone in need. It is embarrassing for me to ask for help in anything, but I HAVE to at this point. Please, anything you can give will be met with heartfelt gratitude. I have tears just asking, but it is necessary. If, at the end of all this, there are any funds left over, it will go to St Judes Childrens Hospital.
Thank You..... Bob Light
Long story:
In early 2010 my primary care doctor noticed some peculiar things in my bloodwork during an annual routine checkup. Upon further testing, it was determined that I had Prostate Cancer. At that time, I was told although it was against the odds of me getting it at that early age, we were lucky to have caught it.
In April of 2011, I had my Prostate robotically removed at Roswell Cancer Park in Buffalo NY. This should have been the end of this chapter... it wasn't! After 4 years (2015) of regular checkups, my bloodwork showed signs of a return... again against all odds!!!! We watched (I won't say patiently) for the next 2 years to be sure it wasn't just spikes in the numbers. It wasn't... they continued to rise (and continuing to) until the doctors concluded we shouldn't wait any longer. So in April 2017, the doctors said lets get going on treatment. The teatment is: a few tests to determine exactly where it is, and 5 days a week for 8 weeks of radiation. Herein lies the problem... my health insurance ended in December of 2016. "Ok" they said "it will cost about $75,000, how do you want to pay for this?" I CAN'T so they do nothing. After feverishly trying everything from applying for medicaid, speaking with American Cancer Society, to everyone and everything I could think of , finally I was able to get Veterans benefits (I served in the US Navy)(by the way, I will be able to get "affordable health care" in January next year... with even less benefits). Please understand that although I am grateful to have this, the term "benefits" is used very loosely. They don't want to do all the tests that Roswell was going to, just what they think they can get away with ?????? I am relegated to getting only what they deem required and have no intent of any advanced treatments that I can recieve right down the road (20 minutes) from me (the VA hospital is 1.5 hours from me on a good day).
Because of the odds that I keep NOT beating, I expect this will not be the last time I will be battling cancer.
What I am trying to raise the money for is to get a guaranteed issue health policy. It will cost almost $1,000/month with a $10,000 deductable, then I will be able to go to the specialist that deal with this sort of thing everyday and get the treatment I should be getting.
I and my wife, my brothers, my parents, my inlaws have always been there to help anyone in need. It is embarrassing for me to ask for help in anything, but I HAVE to at this point. Please, anything you can give will be met with heartfelt gratitude. I have tears just asking, but it is necessary. If, at the end of all this, there are any funds left over, it will go to St Judes Childrens Hospital.
Thank You..... Bob Light
Organizer
Robert Light
Organizer
Shannon Hill, VA
