My name is Heather. My husband, Bransen, was recently diagnosed with stage 3b testicular cancer, with a mediastinal germ cell seminoma tumor 6 inches long and 5 inches wide, right in front of his heart inside the chest cavity. We have 5 children ages 18, 17, 16, 14 & 7. My husband works in lawn care to support us all, and I clean houses on the side.

The weekend after Christmas, my husband was hospitalized with severe chest and back pain along with difficulty breathing. Doctors discovered the giant tumor inside of his heart cavity. They rushed him to biopsy and sent us home 4 days later, still in serious pain, his breathing getting worse. A month went by before we got any solid answers other than "It's most definitely cancer, we just need to find out what type." For the past month, his breathing has become progressively more labored, and he has been constantly nauseous, not able to eat or sleep. We finally saw the oncologist and were told the cancer he has is rare, but curable. Finally, a light at the end of the tunnel, we thought. So they sent us to get his PET scan and pulmonology test to prepare for chemotherapy. His breathing becoming near impossible in the meantime, he has not been able to work at all.

Today, I received the results of his PET scan and we learned there is another tumor behind his heart as well... A partially collapsed lung, large amounts of fluid surrounding his heart, and fluid around his left lung. He had a checkup with our primary doctor today and barely made it through it before the doctor told him he was admitting him. I am sitting in the cardiology waiting room while they attempt to drain the fluid from his heart and lungs. You just don't think about losing your best friend at 35 & 37... your children not having their dad at their ages... but since December 29th, all I can think about is making sure that doesn't happen. And life keeps going on... bills keep coming... your children's life events keep coming. Now we no longer have my husband's income. You try to plan for emergencies with savings, but that only gets you so far. I am working as many days as possible trying to make up the loss of my husband's income, while still being by his side when he needs me most... being with my children when they need me most. The hospital bills, doctor visits, medications, treatments, plus everyday bills and expenses are just too much for me alone. When this all started, we were only weeks away from rent being due. And by the time the first came along, we received our first hospital bill. Even with all of this going on, it's so hard to reach out for help, but we are struggling in the worst way possible right now. My family needs your help and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts.