Donation protected
Let me start off with telling you about a man who has never felt sorry for himself, has a kind word to say about others and never wants to inconvience a soul. This is his story: Raul Salinas Jr.
It all started on a harmless trip to the Dentist as Raul had some swelling on his jaw and his back teeth hurt. Ten days later after treating it with antibiotics, the Dentist had a worried look on her face and sent us immediately to an Oral Surgeon late that afternoon. No X-rays, only a visual exam and he blurts out " Oh, you have Oral Cancer" we look at each other dumbfounded and were like "What?" He says I want you to see the Specialist I work with and I will make sure you get in first thing tomorrow. So, the Ear Nose Throat Specialists conducts an exam on Raul and sends him for a biopsy. That biopsy from the outside of his neck didn't work, so the next visit, April 7, they did an interior biopsy and from that point on, we met our Oncologist, Dr. Newman. The cancer they found was so rare, it was sent to Mt. Sinai in order to be studied by Oncologists all over the world. He also donated blood in order for them to help with the study. A whirlwind of chaos transpired with us meeting Oral Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons, etc, setting up daily appointments some times 3 per day, and in 8 short weeks, Raul was in the hospital going through a 6 1/2 hour surgery. They removed his golf ball size tumor, part of his saliva gland as well as a lymph node, they broke his jaw bone and removed one side of it. At that point the Dr. sliced 12 inches of his thigh in order to take the muscle and veins to rebuild his jaw. 1 week we spent night and day in the intensive care unit hoping and praying that this leg tissue would stay alive for the transplant. It did!! :) The 2nd week he stayed in the hospital and we both learned how to take care of his feeding tube, I fed him 4 times a day through it along with crushing his medication and adding it though the tube, we also learned how to clean and utilize his trachea tube. He came home from the hospital after 14 days and our life changed dramatically! Happy to say, trachea tube is gone, but feeding tube is still in place. He has 4 weeks of radiation left, at which point we start visiting all of his doctors again. Raul's job terminated the day he went into surgery along with his health insurance. So at this point he is paying Cobra insurance, tens of thousands of medical bills and is unemployed with no chance of a job or disability from the government. We are only asking for help and donations if you are able to and please do not feel any obligation. We are also having a fund raising BBQ on Sept. 26, in which his family and friends are getting together to sell Lunch plates.
It all started on a harmless trip to the Dentist as Raul had some swelling on his jaw and his back teeth hurt. Ten days later after treating it with antibiotics, the Dentist had a worried look on her face and sent us immediately to an Oral Surgeon late that afternoon. No X-rays, only a visual exam and he blurts out " Oh, you have Oral Cancer" we look at each other dumbfounded and were like "What?" He says I want you to see the Specialist I work with and I will make sure you get in first thing tomorrow. So, the Ear Nose Throat Specialists conducts an exam on Raul and sends him for a biopsy. That biopsy from the outside of his neck didn't work, so the next visit, April 7, they did an interior biopsy and from that point on, we met our Oncologist, Dr. Newman. The cancer they found was so rare, it was sent to Mt. Sinai in order to be studied by Oncologists all over the world. He also donated blood in order for them to help with the study. A whirlwind of chaos transpired with us meeting Oral Surgeons, Plastic Surgeons, etc, setting up daily appointments some times 3 per day, and in 8 short weeks, Raul was in the hospital going through a 6 1/2 hour surgery. They removed his golf ball size tumor, part of his saliva gland as well as a lymph node, they broke his jaw bone and removed one side of it. At that point the Dr. sliced 12 inches of his thigh in order to take the muscle and veins to rebuild his jaw. 1 week we spent night and day in the intensive care unit hoping and praying that this leg tissue would stay alive for the transplant. It did!! :) The 2nd week he stayed in the hospital and we both learned how to take care of his feeding tube, I fed him 4 times a day through it along with crushing his medication and adding it though the tube, we also learned how to clean and utilize his trachea tube. He came home from the hospital after 14 days and our life changed dramatically! Happy to say, trachea tube is gone, but feeding tube is still in place. He has 4 weeks of radiation left, at which point we start visiting all of his doctors again. Raul's job terminated the day he went into surgery along with his health insurance. So at this point he is paying Cobra insurance, tens of thousands of medical bills and is unemployed with no chance of a job or disability from the government. We are only asking for help and donations if you are able to and please do not feel any obligation. We are also having a fund raising BBQ on Sept. 26, in which his family and friends are getting together to sell Lunch plates.
Organizer
Tambo Urich
Organizer
New Braunfels, TX