Let’s start with I really don’t like asking for help, but I’ve reached to a point where things are becoming overwhelming for me and my family….

So here I am, for the second time in the last 20 years battling with the body monster again. First was in 2007, I was diagnosed with advanced stage 4 cancer on right side of my neck, had to go under radical dissection of the neck and go through with chemo and radiation. The radiation burnt my mouth and throat so badly that I was on feeding tube for a couple of month, I made through a long recovery, gladly I was younger at the time, but still dealing with side effects that I am not able to eat certain food and has difficult time swallowing.

Two years ago in November, I was diagnosed with stage 3 squamous cell in my right lung, started chemo and radiation the next month. Having fatigue and constant coughing makes it very difficult for me to work. After the chemo treatment, I started immunotherapy which was supposed to only have once a month for a year, but shortly after my treatment, I had pneumonia that made me had to stop the immunotherapy treatment. Since then I had 4 pneumonia as a result of having immunotherapy, it causes the inflammation of the lung tissue and I had to stay in bed and cough for most of the year. I am on disability and barely keep our monthly bills paid because of me not able to work. I tried to do food delivery which the time is more flexible given my situation but still having hard time to keep up with my bills. It doesn’t stop here, due to my chemotherapy and radiation that burnt my mouth and throat, I don’t produce much saliva and it makes my eating even more difficult, my teeth are damaged also because of the radiation. With only 14 of my teeth that functions, only little amount of saliva, make it very difficult for me to eat what doctors suggest me to consume, more protein and less carbs, and that makes my recovery even more challenging. Dentist wants me to get partial dentures for my upper and lower missing teeth but it cost about 9,000 dollars which will add on top of my medical bills that I cannot afford.

Last year, due to some paperwork error, Texas Health and Human Services denied my Medicare for three months and I had to fight to get my Medicare back, without the Medicare I was unable to get my treatments. This year, my insurance made my recovery more difficult by having me to pay much more out of pocket, deduction from my disability check, and with only two thousand dollars of dental a year that I already spend four hundred dollars for consultation and x-rays. I can’t afford my dentures, have unpaid around 7,000 dollars cancer treatment bills and upcoming treatment costs. I already maxed out my credit cards because of all these and my credit score is terrible, and I was not able to work during pneumonia and fatigue after the treatments. I have depression, stress and anxiety from all of these but I don’t even have money nor time to treat them.

Gladly I have a beautiful sweet six year old boy that gives me happiness and does not know his daddy has cancer and going through all these, all he knows is that his daddy gets sick and being in bed all the time and he will keep quiet and won’t bother daddy when resting. I feel terrible for my family that has to going through this with me and tolerate my emotions and adapt my eating habits. That’s why I wanted to do this, hoping to raise 20,000 dollars in order to get my dental work done so I can eat more nutritious food and hoping that will help with my upcoming chemotherapy treatment, fix our only car so I am able to do more food delivery and to pay for my overdue medical bills, credit cards and basic bills. With my upcoming chemotherapy next week, I don’t know what would happen nor how I might feel, will I be able to have energy to work? The money raised would be a big help.

This has been a very difficult journey for me and my family, hopefully we can get through this with your help, thank you for taking the time to read my story and hope no one else or family should suffer cancer. CANCER SUCKS!!