Helping my mom battling cancer

My name is Patrick and this is about the wonderful people who created, raised, and guided me through life and what the downside of how life can be.

My dear mother, Mickie Becker, who was raised by nuns (seriously), and has worked all her life and raised children (myself and my brother), and has always been kind to all, was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, late stage 1, a couple of months ago. Thankfully, it was caught very early. It was because of her diabetes, type 2. She always checks her sugar level, and it started spiking ridiculously high, and I mean it went from just over 100 to well over 300 and she was doing nothing different with anything in her life. Now, we say, "thanks diabetes", because it gave a red flag for her doctor to get her scanned. The scan showed a tumor, and after a biopsy in Pittsburgh, it was confirmed...sadly.

So far, the chemo treatment has already shrunk the tumor after 2 months and we truly are happy at this news. It truly is wonderful news, and they are having her continue it and then doing a major surgery to remove the tumor to get her cancer free, hopefully planned before the end of summer. This is through the amazing Pancreas Center at UPMC Presbyterian in Pittsburgh, PA.

Now comes the tough part. Not only is the chemo treatment, although helping beyond words, taxing on her physically, causing her extreme exhaustion and aching to the point where walking can be difficult at times (we are always there to lend an arm to make sure she is safe).

It is also starting to become financially difficult. My parents worked hard and retired and have been enjoying retired life. Just a few years back, they downsized from my childhood house, right near the good ol' Mighty Fine Donuts, a beautiful 5 bedroom/2 bathroom house, and are currently in a temporary spot. They were hunting for a new and slightly smaller home, and waited a bit since the housing market has skyrocketed, but then my mom got cancer.

The savings for the home, of course, are helping with the bills from the life saving treatments, but it is depleting the funds from a fixed income, retired couple and starting to take away the possibility to find that next home to enjoy the rest of retirement.

This has led me to reach out to all the kind and caring folks to see if there are people willing to help out my dear parents. I am doing all I can, including seguing into another career to help them more, cybersecurity, which also allows for remote work so I can be available to be there for them anytime.

Now the really astonishing thing to me is that even during all of the sickness and frustration from the bills, my mom is still trying to help others, be it by bringing water, mini-Jesus figurines, and definitely all her prayers, to others. She always is worried about others and wants to help them, but I hope that for all she has done and given to others, there are kind souls like her that could help to ensure that she not only will overcome cancer, but will be able to have a home once again and enjoy retirement.

She and my father are coming up to 52 years of marriage this July, and 56+ years of being together with each other. (The picture of them is at Frontier Park that was taken close to 10 years ago by the Erie Times News, and truly shows how much they love each other.)

Also, after over 50 years of talking about singing in choirs, she joined the church choir at St. Patrick's Church where she vigilantly every week and looks after others who are also dealing with health concerns and their loved ones, including bringing them a mini-Jesus, and other items to help out including a care package for someone.

Please consider sharing anything you can to help out people who would never ask for help, but in contrast, always offer it to others. Just the other day, my dad was sitting in his car, and got out to help another senior with her bags when he saw her struggling, and mind you, he is 80 years old. Thank you kindly in advance.

I will be posting updates on her health weekly so that you are able to see her progress and know that all of your help is truly making a difference.

God bless you all!