Donald DePasquale's Medical/Illness
Donation protected
At the end of April, 2017, my husband Donald R. Depasquale, age 40, was diagnosed with Stage 3 Small Cell Lung Cancer which is a very rare and extremely aggresive cancer that almost always attacks the brain. At this time, Donny's cancer was located in his lower left lung which entailed a 7cm tumor as well as his lymphnodes in his chest. Since time was of the essence, Donny had to start high doses and endure long hours of Chemotherapy as well as Radiation ASAP which enabled him to continue to work. During this time Donny did remarkably well cosidering the circumstances and after all of his treatments were through he followed-up with Cat Scans of his chest and brain. The results came back negative and Donny was in remission!! As the weeks went by Donny was doing very well and his family and myself were extremely pleased with the outcome of his treatments and his willingness and capabitlites to fight this horrible disease.
Approximately a month or so during his remission, Donny noticed on a Friday a mass on the right side of his neck. He immediately contacted his oncologist and was told to go into the office on Monday where they ordered an ultrasound to be done that day as well as a Pet Scan. On Tuesday evening, November 28th, I rushed Donny to the Emergency Room as in the prior week or so he just hadn't been feeling like himself having no energy whatsoever and not being able to keep food down. The hospital administered chest x-rays, echocardiograms, ultrasounds and blood work. While everything else came back negative his blood work showed that he had low sodium levels and they decided to admit him into Healthpark Medical Center. While there, the oncologists came to see him and ordered a cat scan of the brain. At this point we were still awaiting the results of his Pet Scan which seemed to be taking an eternity.
On Thursday morning, November 30th, the oncologists came into Donny's room and delivered the gut-wrentching news. Although the Cat Scan of the brain came back negative which was by far a miracle his Pet Scan showed that his Small Cell Lung Cancer came back with a vengence and has spread quite noticeably now becoming STAGE 4 which is incurable!! The oncologists have started him on Immunotherapy (cost of this is anywhere from $150,000 - $250,000 a year) which began on Tuesday, December 5th and is administered every 2 weeks in hopes that this will prolong his quality of life. They also advised my husband that this cancer will inevitably take his life and if there is anything he would like to do such as travel, see friends and family, etc.. that he should do it now!!
Donny is a wonderful Husband, Son, Brother, Uncle, friend, etc who is loved by all!!
Our financial situation is very difficult as he is unable to work and I am the only one working at this time. While we have insurance it doesn't cover everything and we still get bills sent to us not to mention our mortgage, electric, cable (he is an AVID NY GIANTS fan and loves his football) car and insurance payments.
We would greatly appreciate all the help we can get as soon as possible as we don't want to chance at being at risk of losing anything, especially his health care!!
Donny's cancer is beyond unimaginable for any of us most importantly himself to even comprehend and to add insult to injury his Aunt has been diagnosed with Lung Cancer, his father (my father-in-law) Donald DePasquale Sr. has been diagnosed with Non-Hopchkins Lymphoma and his sister (my sister-in-law) Dina Bilardi has been recently diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer which she recently had surgery and had the turmor removed but is now struggling with the 50/50 possibitly of having Ovarian Cancer and will be operated on Friday, December 8th.
Thoughts, prayers and any donations will be greatly appreciated by all.
Much Respect,
Tracy Srybnik DePasquale
Approximately a month or so during his remission, Donny noticed on a Friday a mass on the right side of his neck. He immediately contacted his oncologist and was told to go into the office on Monday where they ordered an ultrasound to be done that day as well as a Pet Scan. On Tuesday evening, November 28th, I rushed Donny to the Emergency Room as in the prior week or so he just hadn't been feeling like himself having no energy whatsoever and not being able to keep food down. The hospital administered chest x-rays, echocardiograms, ultrasounds and blood work. While everything else came back negative his blood work showed that he had low sodium levels and they decided to admit him into Healthpark Medical Center. While there, the oncologists came to see him and ordered a cat scan of the brain. At this point we were still awaiting the results of his Pet Scan which seemed to be taking an eternity.
On Thursday morning, November 30th, the oncologists came into Donny's room and delivered the gut-wrentching news. Although the Cat Scan of the brain came back negative which was by far a miracle his Pet Scan showed that his Small Cell Lung Cancer came back with a vengence and has spread quite noticeably now becoming STAGE 4 which is incurable!! The oncologists have started him on Immunotherapy (cost of this is anywhere from $150,000 - $250,000 a year) which began on Tuesday, December 5th and is administered every 2 weeks in hopes that this will prolong his quality of life. They also advised my husband that this cancer will inevitably take his life and if there is anything he would like to do such as travel, see friends and family, etc.. that he should do it now!!
Donny is a wonderful Husband, Son, Brother, Uncle, friend, etc who is loved by all!!
Our financial situation is very difficult as he is unable to work and I am the only one working at this time. While we have insurance it doesn't cover everything and we still get bills sent to us not to mention our mortgage, electric, cable (he is an AVID NY GIANTS fan and loves his football) car and insurance payments.
We would greatly appreciate all the help we can get as soon as possible as we don't want to chance at being at risk of losing anything, especially his health care!!
Donny's cancer is beyond unimaginable for any of us most importantly himself to even comprehend and to add insult to injury his Aunt has been diagnosed with Lung Cancer, his father (my father-in-law) Donald DePasquale Sr. has been diagnosed with Non-Hopchkins Lymphoma and his sister (my sister-in-law) Dina Bilardi has been recently diagnosed with Thyroid Cancer which she recently had surgery and had the turmor removed but is now struggling with the 50/50 possibitly of having Ovarian Cancer and will be operated on Friday, December 8th.
Thoughts, prayers and any donations will be greatly appreciated by all.
Much Respect,
Tracy Srybnik DePasquale
Organizer
Tracy Srybnik DePasquale
Organizer
Lehigh Acres, FL
