Donate to Patricia's 2nd Journey Through Cancer Treatment

Hello, all! I’m Patricia, and I was in my 8th year of survivorship for squamous cell carcinoma of my tongue when I found a suspicious lesion on my remaining tongue. I’ve been worried and convinced that every new lesion I have found would be a recurrence, but the four previous biopsies brought a reassuring feeling that I was finally moving away from a new or recurrent cancer as an ever-present worry. Unfortunately, this last time around, my worry was warranted. The oral surgeon called and confirmed that this was another SCC. I was referred to a head and neck surgeon, and he and I both thought I’d caught this one early, and that it was superficial involvement, thus most likely only requiring surgery. This was a relief, as my first fight involved chemotherapy, surgery to remove half my tongue, replace it with a flap, and remove several lymph nodes on both sides of my neck. I also had a feeding tube placed because I finished out my treatment with 6 weeks of daily radiation to my mouth and neck, along with weekly chemotherapy. It was a difficult, painful journey. I was a single mom with primary custody of all my kiddos. But I had wonderful support, both emotional and financial, from family and friends who rallied around me and my 3 children. My parents were all still alive and able to provide physical and financial assistance as well.

Unfortunately, after meeting back up with the surgeon after my CT and PET scans, I learned that there were areas of concern on my larynx, lymph nodes, and mandible. He did a biopsy of the spot on my larynx, and as I awaited those results, I tried to get my head around facing life without any real tongue or voice box. Then came the most shocking and horrifying words I’ve had said to me, “With this laryngeal involvement, I’m increasingly concerned that we may be looking at palliative care as our only treatment option.”

While I was terrified at this seemingly sudden prospect of pending death, I knew that my sadness wasn’t so much for my own abruptly shortened lifespan, but for my children having to grapple with losing their mother. As I stated previously, I’ve been their primary person for over 15 years. I’ve not remarried, and their respective fathers are not local. My youngest, especially, made my heart ache. A high school junior, who is currently excelling in early college, should be focusing on college applications, their ACT scores, and their ever-broadening social life. Instead, my youngest can’t even finish high school before once again worrying about losing the only parent in the house for the past 15 years.

The surgeon decided we needed additional biopsies, so my original massive tongue removal and flap replacement surgery was swapped out for the additional biopsies. Mercifully, the gums/mandible area was NOT another cancer site, but rather degenerative changes from the previous radiation treatments.

While unbelievably relieved, I knew I still had a difficult and perhaps unsuccessful surgery to consider. I asked if we could consider trying chemotherapy, similar to the regimen I received initially 8 years ago. He discussed my case with a medical oncologist, and I got the green light to approach these rapidly growing tumors with 3 rounds of week-long chemotherapy, each 3 weeks apart. After that, I will return to the surgeon with hopefully less complex tumors that will be more easily removed, and hopefully even slightly less life-altering. To be fair, though, I am realistically hoping for full tongue removal, but with viable reconstruction with a flap (it’s a full-thickness tissue taken from elsewhere on my body that includes blood vessels and nerves that gets reattached into my mouth). If it’s successful, speech therapy would hopefully get me able to swallow again and speak but with a definite impairment. The larynx, or voice box, if removed, will result in a permanent hole in my throat for breathing. This could still allow me to speak somewhat, perhaps, but with artificial means of a voice. This, combined with an impaired speaking tongue, will definitely alter my life. However, it’s the realistically hopeful outcome. The other outcomes are perhaps the inability to swallow and a permanent feeding tube as well. But again, I can do that and live that way, happily. More important than how I look, sound, or eat, is and always has been, my children. I want to see my youngest graduate high school and go to college. I want to see my son and his new wife, both recent college grads, develop their careers and new life together. I want to see my oldest continue to single-handedly develop and grow her own side hustles turned small businesses. I want to continue to take all of them on family vacations to new places we’ve not yet experienced.

So, I am asking for help, primarily financially, as I’ve had to go on medical leave from my job as an LPN at a long-term care facility. It’s a job that’s certainly grueling and sometimes discouraging, but it’s also the most satisfying job I’ve had in my 30-year career. My co-workers are fabulous and have been very emotionally supportive through so many other personal challenges, and this has been no different. They’ve been so encouraging, reassuring me that my work there is indeed valued, and that with a few adjustments and extra assistance with a few tasks, I can and should return to work when this fight is won.

So I’m asking for your help. Any help is help, and while my financial needs are many right now, many small donations add up quickly. I have no income right now. I unfortunately haven’t ever had a large enough income to establish any significant savings. I have applied for short-term disability, but it takes an average of 237 days for applications to be processed in N.C. I have my regular bills to pay (mortgage, phones, gas, utilities, insurances, food, etc.). Now I also have significant medical bills. I am still covered by my employer’s insurance, but I’ve yet to reach my out-of-pocket maximum, and just one of the medications for each chemo cycle is $175. Another one is $800. I’ve still got around $600 due for my first surgical biopsy. I’ve yet to be billed for my port placement.

Again, ANYTHING will help, if you can. I know that so many of us are struggling financially right now, and particularly here in Helene-devastated WNC where so many are still struggling with rebuilding their lives after losing so much. I’m not asking for anything more than you feel comfortable giving.

I can also be helped with gift cards for gas or groceries. I could also use donations of cat food and litter, as I also have many rescue pets to feed. If any one of you who lives locally could help by donating a service, such as lawn care, tree removal, or housecleaning, I would greatly appreciate any and all assistance with any of that.

Thank you for reading my story and considering offering help.

If you are unable to help right now with funds or services, please at least hit share if you made it to the end of my request!

Thank you!!