Tucker Cancer Train Wreck Fight

Danny and Sue Tucker’s “Cancer Train Wreck Fight"

Sue has the Lung Cancer but it is a family fight! The fight has been both Emotionally and Financially Draining! A GoFundMe account has been set up to help alleviate the financial stress for Sue and Danny that the Mounting Medical Costs of Fighting Cancer entails. Their lives have derailed and need to get back on track!!

Please read Sue’s Story!

Sue (McLemore) Tucker is my younger 59 year old sister who will turn 60 on June 5, 2017. She lives in Columbus, MS with her husband, Danny, a retired railroad employee, and one of their sons, Stephen.  Another son, Andrew and his wife, Leanne, & family live nearby. 

Sue is battling lung cancer which originally occurred 13 years ago (2004). At that time, she had her upper right lobe removed and was in remission for 10 years.

Three years ago in 2014, the cancer recurred in her lower right lobe. Surgery was not an option. She was treated with chemo and radiation all while continuing to work at CECO in Human Resources. The fatigue almost did her in, but with sheer determination, she got through it. A PET scan showed she was in remission until 6 months later a CAT scan revealed the cancer had spread into the left lung. At this time, she also was diagnosed with COPD & Emphysema. The doctors offered her continuous maintenance chemo every  2 weeks to keep the cancer at bay as long as possible.

Eventually, the doctors administered Opdivo, a targeted immune intravenous drug which aids the immune system to fight the cancer. At this point, she was still working because she is the sole provider of the family’s health insurance, but her 401k is nearly depleted. As of June 2016, she had used up all of her sick days and PTO days for the rest of the year.  She couldn’t afford to take any days off to just rest and recuperate. Even though the medical bills kept mounting, she managed to keep afloat. Her excellent credit rating was the one and only thing she had left that she had control of and she was determined to keep that intact and to maintain the needed health insurance.

The challenges kept coming.

The Central A/C in her home stopped working. For someone living in the Deep South with Lung Cancer, COPD & Emphysema, heat and humidity make it extremely difficult to breathe especially without an air conditioning system. It was an unexpected, very expensive item that had to be replaced- paid for with money they did not have! But true to Sue’s nature, even through all that she had endured, she maintained a positive, upbeat outlook on life and continued to see the best in everyone and every situation. She had faith that things would work out. 

Unfortunately on September 27, 2016, a CAT scan showed that the Opdivo treatments had stopped working.

There was one more option left to try.

On October 17, 2016, Sue started a new regimen of a chemo drug called Taxotere. Always a tiny person, this drug was the strongest and harshest on her now 91 lb body. For the first time, through all her treatments, she finally lost her hair, lost all her fingernails, developed painful dry eye, experienced swelling, burning, redness, peeling and neuropathy of her feet making it impossible to walk, redness and peeling of hands, ulcers in the mouth, compounded by ever increasing fatigue and the struggle to breathe caused by her Lung Cancer, COPD & Emphysema. The weight loss continued!

Because of the insufficient flow of oxygen throughout her body, Sue’s breathing is labored and brings on anxiety attacks which further exasperates her breathing. Imagine trying to “breathe” and you CAN’T ! Very frightening!  It is taxing and tiring on her entire body. Sometimes, it is all Sue can do to just take a shower without sitting down on the tub to rest. I don’t think people really know what it is like to go through this unless they have gone through this!

The Taxotere Chemo took its toll. Sue reluctantly took 6 month Short Term Disability starting in October  2016.

Through all of this, Danny took over--took over the cooking, household chores, and taking care of Sue until he himself suffered an eye injury. The ophthalmologist in Columbus referred him to a specialist in Birmingham, AL. Upon examination, the doctors determined that surgery was necessary. The surgery included several procedures in a single surgery to try and save his eyesight. They treated the eye for infection, extracted a piece of metal, reattached a detached retina, & took out the lens of his eye.  After returning home, he was instructed to lie on his side for 2 weeks 24 hours a day. He is still waiting for reimplantation of the lens.

I couldn’t imagine how they would manage by themselves.  True to form, Sue said, “2 halves make a whole. We’ll manage.” And they did, without help from anyone else.

Danny is still waiting to “see” if he will have vision in his eye. This procedure costs $6000 out of pocket plus meds.  Another, unexpected expense!

Sue’s last treatment of Taxotere was February 1, 2017.

Her insurance will terminate on April 17, 2017 if she does not return to work.

Her doctor appointment on March 20, 2017 shattered her hopes of returning to work.  Her declining weight loss, her increasing labored breathing, and extreme fatigue were major concerns for the doctor. He and Sue agreed the best course of action would be to apply for Long Term Disability which means a lot less in income and no insurance if she can’t pay the extremely expensive ($1350 a mo) Family COBRA premium. It is imperative that she maintains her insurance for the total 18 month Cobra duration. She is too young for Medicare. During the Long Term Disability period, she will then be eligible to apply for Social Security Disability.

All the treatments, Meds, MRI's & CAT scans she has undergone plus everyday living expenses has been extremely expensive and financially and emotionally exhausting. With the addition of Danny’s medical costs and other unexpected expenses, Sue and Danny are now financially depleted of funds.

The friends, family and co-workers of both Sue & Danny know they are the most giving couple alive.  Now, it is time for them to be the “Receivers”. 

Sue has always been a “Giver” to her family and her work family. Whenever in financial need, Sue would always find a way to provide for the needs of the family. Before her previous job was eliminated, she was Human Resources Rep at CECO and she encouraged   the “Open Door Policy”.  Employees would see her as someone they could come to and confide in with their problems. She listened, comforted and offered solutions. In her own family, she is still giving-sometimes at the expense of her own health. 

Anyone who knows Danny, knows he would “Give” the shirt off his back to help anyone who is in need. He unselfishly has used his creative building and cooking skills to aid family members, ex- Railroad co-workers and friends- expecting nothing in return.

If either of them has touched your life in a positive way, I am asking for your financial support by donating to their GoFundMe account to give them peace of mind and soul by eliminating their financial worry. With your help, we can do this.

If a donation is not possible, please support them with your prayers or sending a card, an e-mail or Facebook message with words of encouragement.

Please feel free to share their “Cancer Train Wreck Fight" on all of your social media sites to help spread the word. Your help is appreciated and God bless.