Help David Laylor and Family
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My father, David Laylor, was first diagnosed with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the tongue in September 2012. After that time, both him and my mother were away from home for about over two months while he got cancer treatment in another state. This included during the holidays, during whence my siblings and I would frequently Skype our parents and vice-versa. He returned January 2013, and was declared cancer-free in March 2013.
June of 2017, he and my mother headed to a "celebration of life" conference after my father had been cancer-free for four whole years, and it was there that they did a screening and discovered that the cancer was back. From that point onward, my dad has been receiving different levels and forms of treatment. The tumor, originating in a single spot on his tongue, ended up spreading. This resulted in a tongue reconstruction surgery in April 2018. Yet the cancer returned to his head/neck and lungs as well. It even recently metastasized into a bone in his spine and in his leg earlier last month, pushing my dad to need to use a walker whenever he'd need to get around, as he had a constant pain in his leg due to the latter.
Despite all of these hinderances, my father continued his daily work routine and would push himself to do as much as was necessary to support our family along with my mother, all without complaining and with a smile on his face. And even then, it was clear that he wasn't entirely fit to be working every day, as he would always come home fatigued and in pain from the cancer's effects.
On the morning of Friday June 28, a couple weeks ago, I was woken by my niece after my dad had fallen onto the floor and was unable to get up himself. One 911 call later and we find that he had a stroke that morning. Since that day, he has been hospitalized, with my mother staying at the hospital with him nearly all day everyday to care for him and assist the doctors. Due to the aftereffects of the stroke, and concern over a bone metastasis in his cervical spine, any cancer treatment has been on hold while he's been at the hospital; Cancer treatment that is crucial, yet cannot be prioritized.
All of this is things that I, as David's daughter, have observed. I do not know all of the full details, but I can provide as much info as I am currently aware of.
We are living in our house as a family of 7; My mother Melodie, my father David, my maternal grandmother Helen Delatte, my 13 y/o brother Joshua, my two 12 y/o twin sisters Angela and Abigail, and myself being the oldest child at 16. We do have a bit of help as our older brother Daniel Ramos has been living with us for the past two weeks, along with his two daughters... although of course my dad isn't working and my mom hardly has the time to work either. I am the only one out of my siblings who is able to work, and currently I am on the search for a part-time job to at least take a bit of weight off of my mother's shoulders. Although the payment from a part-time job can only go so far in supporting a family.
This GoFundMe page is mostly to help support my family's bills and any other expenses needed (groceries and the like) while we go through this very rough, detrimental, emotionally exhausting time. My father's health and the overall situation has only been getting worse throughout this year, and we need a miracle. A little can go a long way, and any type of help is wholeheartedly appreciated by myself and my family. God bless.
June of 2017, he and my mother headed to a "celebration of life" conference after my father had been cancer-free for four whole years, and it was there that they did a screening and discovered that the cancer was back. From that point onward, my dad has been receiving different levels and forms of treatment. The tumor, originating in a single spot on his tongue, ended up spreading. This resulted in a tongue reconstruction surgery in April 2018. Yet the cancer returned to his head/neck and lungs as well. It even recently metastasized into a bone in his spine and in his leg earlier last month, pushing my dad to need to use a walker whenever he'd need to get around, as he had a constant pain in his leg due to the latter.
Despite all of these hinderances, my father continued his daily work routine and would push himself to do as much as was necessary to support our family along with my mother, all without complaining and with a smile on his face. And even then, it was clear that he wasn't entirely fit to be working every day, as he would always come home fatigued and in pain from the cancer's effects.
On the morning of Friday June 28, a couple weeks ago, I was woken by my niece after my dad had fallen onto the floor and was unable to get up himself. One 911 call later and we find that he had a stroke that morning. Since that day, he has been hospitalized, with my mother staying at the hospital with him nearly all day everyday to care for him and assist the doctors. Due to the aftereffects of the stroke, and concern over a bone metastasis in his cervical spine, any cancer treatment has been on hold while he's been at the hospital; Cancer treatment that is crucial, yet cannot be prioritized.
All of this is things that I, as David's daughter, have observed. I do not know all of the full details, but I can provide as much info as I am currently aware of.
We are living in our house as a family of 7; My mother Melodie, my father David, my maternal grandmother Helen Delatte, my 13 y/o brother Joshua, my two 12 y/o twin sisters Angela and Abigail, and myself being the oldest child at 16. We do have a bit of help as our older brother Daniel Ramos has been living with us for the past two weeks, along with his two daughters... although of course my dad isn't working and my mom hardly has the time to work either. I am the only one out of my siblings who is able to work, and currently I am on the search for a part-time job to at least take a bit of weight off of my mother's shoulders. Although the payment from a part-time job can only go so far in supporting a family.
This GoFundMe page is mostly to help support my family's bills and any other expenses needed (groceries and the like) while we go through this very rough, detrimental, emotionally exhausting time. My father's health and the overall situation has only been getting worse throughout this year, and we need a miracle. A little can go a long way, and any type of help is wholeheartedly appreciated by myself and my family. God bless.
Organizer and beneficiary
Melissa Laylor
Organizer
Chesapeake, VA
Melodie Griffin Laylor
Beneficiary