Hello all, 

This past year has been difficult for us all. If you don't know me, I was a bartender in Chicago for 10 years. That career was brought to an abrupt end when Covid hit. After many months of uncertainty I had finally got a job as an inside sales beer rep. I felt like I was finally in a position to put 2020 behind me.

I started feeling unwell in October but put it down to stress and acid reflux. However, I had a nagging cough that wouldn't go away. The coughing started getting so bad that I'd pass out and fall down. I went to the doctor and he thought it could also be acid reflux and tested me for H. Pylori. I was positive for H. Pylori and took the antibiotics and the symptoms just got worse. 

Finally, I'd had enough and went to the ER on March 16th. The Physician ran a few tests including a CT scan of my chest and they found a mass on the hilum of my lung. I was admitted to the hospital for further testing and got the worst possible news. I was diagnosed with stage 4 adenocarcinoma, in my esophagus that has spread to the hilum of my lungs and lymph nodes. 

Honestly, the google search for adenocarcinoma esophageal cancer isn't pretty but my oncologist is positive that because I've never been a smoker or heavy drinker and don't have any other medical conditions I've got a fighting chance of surviving this. I have chemo every other Monday and immunotherapy every 3 weeks. 
 
Asking for help isn't easy for me but I don't have much other recourse at the moment. I don't qualify for paid leave at my job because I had just started.  I really never thought I'd have to do this but if you can help in any way I would be forever grateful. Unfortunately, my symptoms are making it impossible to continue working at the moment but I'm hopeful that the treatments I'm receiving will shrink the tumors enough so that I can get back to work. 

Let's kick cancers ass!!!!