CRITICAL CARE NURSE WITH CANCER NEEDS YOUR HELP

My name is Marc Catone. Back in the 1960s, I went to Danbury High School in Connecticut with a girl named Linda (Vendetti) Butler Askew, who wanted to become a nurse. Her dream came true. She became a nurse...caring for and helping patients for almost 50 years as a Critical Care RN. Now, Linda needs caring and support from you. She has non-operable lung cancer and suffers intractable pain from tumors in both lungs pressing against her chest wall, ribs, and spinal nerves. Will you help?

Linda’s only income is her Social Security check. And it does not go far. She must pay for food, rent, utilities, medicine and insurance co-pays. Her savings are gone. Linda lies in bed each night, trying to figure out if she should buy either food or medications the next day. She can’t do both. Can you imagine the pain and stress Linda lives with each day?

Any donation you make to Linda's GoFundMe account will be used for her necessities...food on the table, medicine, the many out-of-pocket expenses that Medicare and her insurance do not cover, and gas for the car she uses to travel for treatments. Recently, her rent increased by $700 per month. So the cost of a move to a new place is out of the question.

Because of all her economic woes, Linda had to take a part-time/per diem job as a nurse aide evaluator. It is physically wearing her out, but she has no other option. It has and is taking its toll. She has a 3-hour round trip every work day. She will not be able to continue at this pace for long. Your donation...$10, $50, $100, whatever you can send...will help her immediately.

Linda’s recent medical journey began right before the pandemic started on Friday, the 13th of March, 2020. She was in a terrible automobile accident. She suffered many injuries...including a fractured sternum, herniation of discs in the spine CTLS, and a closed head injury. She had to have CT scans and x-rays. Those scans and x-rays, taken because of her injuries, revealed the tumors in her lungs and a cerebral aneurism. Linda was advised to see a medical oncologist ASAP while trying to heal from the MVA injuries.

Treatments for non-small cell carcinoma of both lungs began. First, Linda had biopsies of both lungs. Then, every 21 days, she received IV immunotherapy through a body portal that had to be placed surgically. This treatment continued for nearly two years.

Then, on Mother’s Day 2021, on top of everything else that had turned her world upside down, Linda had a major heart attack. She immediately underwent removal of a clot and placement of a coronary artery stent. Unfortunately, the damage left her with heart failure. Yet, another major illness to contend with while being treated for cancer.

Linda’s most recent medical obstacle occurred while receiving 15 palliative radiation treatments designed to relieve some of her intractable pain due to the tumor breaching the chest wall and ribs and affecting the spinal nerves. Unfortunately, damage was done to her digestive system, and she developed severe esophagitis. As a result, she can only tolerate liquid meals for nutritional intake with the hope that soon she will be able to eat solid food again.

And despite her setbacks, my high school friend remains upbeat and positively influences others. They know that Linda remains concerned about them, even while battling for her life. When she graduated from Nursing School in 1970, Linda received a “Dedication to Nursing” award. Even now, her Critical Care RN experience is always present, representing a vow she made to dedicate her life to the betterment of others.

Linda has one son with educational disabilities whom she home-schooled according to NY State guidelines. Linda also advocated for students with disabilities in public schools for nearly 20 years and, with three other mothers, started a support group for parents of students with disabilities. That support group is still active today.

Linda has shown a remarkable capacity for love and caring for others. It is time for that love and kindness...that karma...to flow back to her during this tremendously difficult time.

On August 4th, Linda had a birthday. She told me that when she was first diagnosed with cancer in 2020, her goal was to reach age 72. Well, she did that the other day. So now, Linda has a new plan...to reach age 75. She’s a fighter, a warrior. She’s not giving up!

Please know that your generous contribution, no matter the amount, will ease Linda's stress over her daily expenses. It will allow her to live in her home without worrying about how to pay for food, medicine, co-pays, rent, and utilities. It will give her peace of mind and some quality of life in her not-so-golden years

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Thank you.

Marc Catone