Cancer is a mother……

Hi. My name is William’Tony’ Pettus. In March of last year in 2022 I went to work on a Saturday to get some extra money. After returning home I ate and later that evening my stomach started feeling upset. Thinking it may have been what I ate but I was feeling the same all weekend. By Monday when I was getting ready for work when I was brushing my teeth I became nauseous and began to throw up. I didn’t go to work that day returned to work the next day. All week I was experiencing pain in my stomach and when I would eat something it felt like my stomach was about to explode. Finally that Saturday I went to urgent care and was told it probably was gastritis and was given a prescription. A week went by and I was still experiencing the same thing. I ended up going to 3 different ERs and was still told it probably was gas. From the the first ER visit I was referred to gastroenterologist and first was told it may have been something I ate which in turn may have become a bacterial infection. I was given another prescription which I took for a week but the situation stayed the same. Next he suggested I have an endoscopy which showed I had a blockage in my small intestine. I advised me to check into the hospital and then the next day I had surgery. They removed a tumor and also my appendix was removed. Turns out I had stage four Appendiceal cancer. After recovering from the surgery I started chemotherapy in July and ended in December. 10 rounds. After that I had laparoscopic surgery to see how I was doing and look inside my abdomen. The chemo did well but there was still some tumor on my stomach wall. So next I had HIPEC surgery where they go in and remove whatever they see and then put heated chemo directly inside and let it sit for approximately 90 minutes. Surgery was around 7-8 hours. I was hoping after this surgery that soon I would be able to return to work. Turns out there’s still some left on my intestines and I was told instead of keep cutting away at them I better to do more chemo. I just started that a week ago at the time of writing this. Going back to work doesn’t seem like it’s happening in the near future. That’s why I’m here now asking for assistance. I receive SSD but my savings are getting low. Don’t get me wrong I’m a hard working person. I averaged 60-70 hours a week and I’m so glad I did because without that money I had saved I don’t know where I’d be now. Anything would help and would be greatly appreciated. I know this was a long story and it almost feels like a testimony. But if anything at all I wish to anyone who reads this take from it cancer is real. Having a colonoscopy and endoscopy is great for early detection. They say have them done in your 50’s. I say your 40’s. I’m 56 and yes it’s real.

Thanking you in

Advance