Time To Make Cancer " MY BITCH!"

Hey my name is Joe Jaritz and im 32 years old...  I am  a very known and liked person in the community playing a number of sports,  favourite being cricket for Roopena Cricket Club  and footy for Weeroona Bay fc...  I also work at the local mine site for a very successful company in BGC Contracting in which I enjoy working for.

(Doing what i do best , playing cricket)

Early last year in January my life took a turn in a downwards direction..  I discovered a lump  on one of my testies, being a typical male I left it for a week or two hoping it would go away, but it didnt and was beginning to cause some discomfort.

I made an appointment to see the local GP and from there I had scans and a blood test. The GP believed i had cancer with the results that where shown... within four days of having the scans n tests I found myself in the Royal Adelaide hospital and about to under go surgery to remove the Primary tumor which was on my right testies.

(Love my fishing thats forshore)

Once the tumor was removed I waited in hope that the results would come back in favour of me.. I still remember the phone call and the feeling I had.. hearing from the doctor as she explained that the testie had a aggressive tumor smoothering it. To add too it all I had four different types of cancer cells on the one primary tumor, being very rare.

Once receiving all the news on what it was, it was then up to the cancer specialist to go about attacking the disease.. I opted to do my own treatment  with no chemotherapy, in which the doctor allowed me too walk out the cancer ward confident to monitor me closely for the next five years.I was happy enough in this decision knowing I had a 60 percent
chance of it returning..  After 10 months of struggle physically, emotionally and financially ....I was getting fit again getting ready for the up coming football season, I began playing cricket again and making the Whyalla combined cricket side and performing well.I felt I had just started to get my life back to normality.

A week before Christmas that just passed, I received a phone call from the specialist in Adelaide wanting my 3 monthly scan earlier in which I thought was abit strange.... I had the scan and when having the follow up appointment  via telelink at the hospital it was then I recieved a Christmas present from HELL.. 

I was told I had two lymph nodes behind my lungs that where enlarging since the last two scans, the Specialists came to the conclusion that I have a Mature Teratoma Cancer and they can not act on it with chemotherapy or radiotherapy leaving the one and only option being to surgically remove the lymphodes. My cancer now being at stage 2 testicular cancer.

The procedure is called Retroperitoneal Excision Of Abdominal Lymph Nodes ( RPLND} This procedure involves complex , major , abdominal surgery to access the lymph nodes and strip them off my major blood vessels { inferior vena cava and aorta }.

The operation is a lengthy one in most cases taking anywhere from 4 to 8 hours and is preformed with great concentration  and skill ..The Surgeon will make a long incision on my abdomen which will allow the specialist to move my intestines to one side and access the Retroperitoneal lymphnodes. Many risks are a contributing worry to me, risks including injury to spleen, liver, lung, pancreas, blood vessels and bowel and could further more extensive surgery and removal  of organs such as my kidneys damaged by blockages from the lymph nodes.  Peri-operative death is also on the unlikely cards but is a 1 in 100 chance of happening.


(enjoy hanging out with my mates)

The recovery time is going to be a lengthy one, remaining in ROH for up to a month after surgery .. It usually takes 14 days for the biopsy results on my removed lymphnodes to be avaliable.. We will then discuss the results with a multi-disciplinarty team meeting before making any later treament options that may be optionary. The surgeon also layed out the bad news that my cricket season and football season is over before it began..

I am also very worried about my job, I have the best job in the world working a even time roster 7 on , 7 off timetable.. .Loosing my job over this illness gives me goose bumps. BGC Contracting being a great company as it is, im sure they will stick by me and help me jump this hurdle that confronts of me.

By raising money for me it will help me ever so much, words can not explain how much it will help me and take so much stress and financial load off my shoulders.. I currently have a house mortage and in September last year I was very close to loosing my house due to overdue payments, while being off  work during my first operation.. my house is 'my castle' and I hate the idea of ever losing it...

Not to mention all the bills and personal loans  which I have, I honestly could not have asked for a worser time for this to happen again.  Being a single home owner things get very tight financially and not  to mention all the medical cost within all this drama is another huge cost and headache. Things including accommodation, fuel , hiring of cars, plane flights, scans and other tests..  is all money that I just dont have at the moment espeicially whilist not working.

My life has now become a big depressed and worried mess and im honestly hating my life at the present, but I know I cant give up and that one day I will find happiness and strong health again.  I have never been one to ask for help or for a favour but it has come to the point in my life where I need a helping hand, a favour, I need help in surviving to live with lifes basics, keeping my castle and everyday expensives because I am going to be off work for a  period of time and will be up 'shitcreek'!.. I just would like to resume my everyday life as it was a year ago, the happy, outgoing and confident self that I was back then..

I am very lucky to have a very loving and caring surporter base to help me to jump this hurdle,
without u guys I dont no what id do.. Id like to give a  huge shoutout to My Father,Step mother, My Mum and step father, brothers ,all my cousins, uncles, auntys, neices and nephews and my beloved oma,I honestly cant thank you all enough for the support and care you have shown and given .. One day I am planning to extend the Jaritz family tree and have children of my own knowing how special it would be to be a parent.. Family is something that never can be taken away from you and id do anything for my family which I love so much

In conclusion,  Whilst making the Go Fund Me page, I was asked the awrkward question on how much I was aiming to raise.. To be absoulutly honest, I have no aim in how much I need or would like to be raised. I thought it was a little bit unnessary to add that with in my story.

Any donations and or support you can offer, no matter how big or small, would mean alot to me and  be greatly appreciated.... 
                                        cheers guys......