Hi everyone, my boys wrote this story for me. I’ve been really apprehensive about posting it. I have a serious aversion to asking for any type of help, but I think this time I’m left without much choice. I was diagnosed with state 4 Colon cancer, but we might have caught it early enough to fight it off for quite awhile.

I’m trying to act all brave about it, making jokes and acting like it’s no big deal, but……. It’s pretty scary. I’ve gone thru 4 rounds of chemo, and done well enough to have a meeting with a surgical team this week. Then comes surgery, weeks of recovery and maybe some radiation tossed in - not a recipe for good times! I won’t be able to work for awhile and I have this 160 pound St Bernard named Walter, who is truly the love of my life. For all of you that remember Joe, Walter snores JUST like him, it’s so weird, but oddly comforting. I’m worried about having a place to live and feeding my Baby Monster until I can get thru all this. I just want to be around to see my beautiful grandkids grow up to be as wonderful as their parents. You have to admit, I have the best kids ever. So if you have a little extra, it would be greatly appreciated. I’ll never have the money to pay anything back but I will pay it all back with love and kindness to anyone who needs my help.

Barb

Barb’s Battle Fund

I would like to introduce you all to our mother Barb Finch. She has 3 children, 3 grandchildren and a boatload of people she considers family. She also has a year old Saint Bernard named Walter, who is her constant companion, and quite a handful, but she adores him, and he adores her.

Barb is the type of person that is always there to lend an ear, give you positive feedback or assist in defending your honor. You know, the person who will always see the best in you even when you struggle with that yourself. Barb has been known to walk into the DMV and walk out with friends she talks with to this day, has close acquaintances from all walks of life and all ages and never really judges a person by the exterior they present. All and all, the type of person we all want to be.

While her outlook is forever facing forward, in recent years she has seen her husband go to cancer, and her mother to dementia. She has lost the petition with the VA for spousal benefits, and seen her modest savings be spent in an effort to keep her mother comfortable in her last moments. A courageous and caring woman that has been through a lot in recent times, she has been a rock for everyone around her and is now in a position where she needs our help.

Unfortunately, this year she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. Her prognosis is positive if all the treatments go well and nothing unforeseen pops up. The difficulty is that as a family we are not able to pay for her treatments and allow her the time off work to recover from chemo and surgery. She wants nothing more than to watch her grandchildren learn to drive, go to prom, to get married. To just spend more time with the people she cares about and meet people to add to that list.

She is an amazing woman who deserves to have the best shot at beating this and we need your help. Colon cancer is slow moving and highly treatable in most circumstances. We are asking for your support that will allow her time to heal without the stress of picking up extra shifts just to make ends meet.

If you are able, please donate to her GoFundMe - and help us get her healthy so she can be there to give us all the love and support we just can’t go without.