Fighting Cancer
Donation protected
My husband, Billy, was diagnosed with Stage 4 Metastatic Sarcomatoid Renal Cell Carcinoma last week. He got so sick, so fast, we didn't even realize what was going on until a random CT scan was done.
He has been through so much the last 4 years following a rear end collision by an uninsured driverthat fractured his lower spine, resulting in spinal fusion surgery, decompression surgery, and a procedure to his neck to block the pain signals.
He had to go on short term disability, which then turned into long term disability and he has been unable to work for over 2 years. He applied for social security disability, but was denied (apparently everyone is the first try) and is waiting for an appeal hearing that we are told won't happen until sometime next year.
We have astronomical medical bills and now, with this new diagnosis of this cancer, things will only pile up. He only makes enough on the disability to pay our insurance premiums and a few household bills. I have a small home daycare that, thankfully, has kept us above water since all this has been going on.
His oncologist has chosen him to be placed into a clinical trial of immunotherapy that is not yet approved by the FDA. He feels this is his best chance for survival as traditional chemo and radiation will not save him.
We just got married less than a year ago after a 5 year relationship.
I don't know how we are going to pay our bills and keep our house when we are spending more and more time in the hospital and now looking at an uncertain future with treatment of his cancer.
We have some wonderful family and friends, but they can only do so much. We need some sense of financial security during this time or we will lose everything we have worked so hard to build together. I don't want him to have to worry about that when he needs all that he has in him to fight for his life.
He has been through so much the last 4 years following a rear end collision by an uninsured driverthat fractured his lower spine, resulting in spinal fusion surgery, decompression surgery, and a procedure to his neck to block the pain signals.
He had to go on short term disability, which then turned into long term disability and he has been unable to work for over 2 years. He applied for social security disability, but was denied (apparently everyone is the first try) and is waiting for an appeal hearing that we are told won't happen until sometime next year.
We have astronomical medical bills and now, with this new diagnosis of this cancer, things will only pile up. He only makes enough on the disability to pay our insurance premiums and a few household bills. I have a small home daycare that, thankfully, has kept us above water since all this has been going on.
His oncologist has chosen him to be placed into a clinical trial of immunotherapy that is not yet approved by the FDA. He feels this is his best chance for survival as traditional chemo and radiation will not save him.
We just got married less than a year ago after a 5 year relationship.
I don't know how we are going to pay our bills and keep our house when we are spending more and more time in the hospital and now looking at an uncertain future with treatment of his cancer.
We have some wonderful family and friends, but they can only do so much. We need some sense of financial security during this time or we will lose everything we have worked so hard to build together. I don't want him to have to worry about that when he needs all that he has in him to fight for his life.
Organizer
Mary Estes
Organizer
Hanover, IN
