Help Christopher Fight Stage 4 Cancer

A dear friend to many, a proud father to our kids, and my amazing husband, Christopher Carson could use your help during this extremely challenging time. Christopher and I believe that family is everything. We’ve been working hard to keep ours afloat these past few months.

 

Christopher and I met when we were in our teens. He’s always been my best friend and just the most incredible human. Most of you know that we’re a family of 8 with our kids Jeb, Jared, Jaden, Jakob, Jaxon, Jozee — and growing, with our 4 grandkids. Though  3 of our kids are not biologically Christopher’s, his love for every single one of them has always been endless and unconditional. Our family is glued by the love that bonds us together. Christopher has always taken so much pride in making sure that as the sole provider for our family, he always kept a roof over our heads and food on the table.

 

8 months ago, Christopher started having pain in his mouth. Being strong and stubborn, he tried to persevere through it. Eventually, Christopher started having trouble eating and he knew it was serious. When Christopher decided he needed to go see a doctor, I knew how unbearable the pain must have become. Yet, doctor after doctor, no one had answers. We continued to make appointments to try to find an answer to what seemed to be destroying Christopher’s mouth. Finally, one doctor agreed to a biopsy, and on February 11th, 2022, we got our devastating answer: Stage 4 carcinoma in the mouth.

 

As soon as we found out it was aggressive cancer, the doctor scheduled a surgery to remove part of Christopher’s tongue 3 weeks out. Christopher was in so much pain — it was devastating to watch. His biggest fear during those weeks was how our family would manage with him being out of work for a while. He ended up working full time until just 2 days before his surgery (those of you who know Christopher can vouch — that’s the type of person he is).

 

The incredible doctors did the best they could, but had to remove more of Christopher’s tongue than they originally expected. Christopher may need a feeding tube for a while and will have chemotherapy and radiation next in hopes of getting rid of the aggressive cancer for good. The reality is that we’re having a hard time managing right now. Christopher is usually our rock and it’s been heartbreaking to see him cry during the toughest moments so far.

 

The kids and I have been all over the place. Christopher has been typing on his phone to tell us what he wants or what’s on his mind; the difficulty of understanding him speak has been frustrating at times for all of us. Jaxon is able to understand Christopher’s adjusting speech and offers optimism during his visits. Jozee, our youngest, isn’t able to visit the hospital yet because she’s not old enough (the hospital requires all visitors to be at least 16 years old). She misses her dad and is very sad that she can’t see him. Jaden, our oldest, is making sure the house stays clean and is handling many of the chores. I’m hanging by a thread and just making sure that I’m by Christopher’s side every single day. In times like these, family and community are getting us through.

 

With Christopher currently in the hospital and out of work until he recovers, the next few months are full of uncertainty for us. Our finances have always been modest and Christopher’s cancer has stretched what we can afford. Though it’s very hard for me to ask for support, I would greatly appreciate any help you are able to provide. All contributions will go directly towards:

 

 

If you are able to help us, a donation to this fundraiser would mean the world to our family. Though Christopher just had his surgery, we know this will be a long road filled with unexpected turns. If you are able to support our family in another way, such as dropping off food or helping around the house, please contact me through the GoFundMe message option.

 

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We are deeply grateful for all of your thoughts and prayers, kind messages, home-cooked meals, and loving support. It all makes a tremendous difference for Christopher and our family. Please share this fundraiser with anyone who may know Christopher and be willing to help during this difficult time.

 

With love and gratitude,

Trista

 

 

 

Family is everything to us.

Our happiest moments are with our kids.

Family and community is getting us through these hard times.

We are so grateful for our kids and grandkids.

They always keep us going.