Help Leigh during her Cancer Treatment
Donation protected
A year ago my wife Leigh and I were in a decent situation. We were self sufficient, living in a nice apartment, and for the first time ever were able to keep a little money in our savings account.
Then within a two month stretch, while Covid really started ramping up, I lost my job, my insurance, and worst of all Leigh was diagnosed with cancer. It didn't take long to figure out a game plan and enact it. We moved in with her parents who live near a good cancer center and went to work on getting her better.
Through her team of doctors we found that it was a highly aggressive and rare adenocarcinoma. One of the worst cases her brilliant surgeon had ever seen. Several months later she'd had a large aggressive tumor removed from her neck, and undergone radiation of the area to remove any remnants. It was a grueling and terrifying process. She didn't eat at all for several weeks and lost over 100 pounds, and the burns around her neck and throat were awful. In the end though she recovered and was doing really well. I started job hunting again and things were looking up.
With her parents contributing by housing us, keeping us fed, and helping to arrange doctors visits, I was free to be Leigh's personal nurse, therapist, and all around manservant. Because of this we were able to make the the money we had saved up last much longer than it would otherwise. I would pay our phone bills, buy food she had specific cravings for, pay for prescriptions, gas to get to appointments, and things to keep her mind off the horror of what she was going through.
Now for the worst part. A few months later she was getting persistent headaches for weeks after radiation, so when we got it checked out we found that the cancer is back and it's in multiple places. This revelation crushed us. And when we were finally at the point where we'd started to hope we had won the fight, the money we tried to make last throughout this ordeal is now gone.
She's already gone through a second round of radiation on her eye socket where a new growth was threatening the eye itself, and has another possible growth showing itself in her lungs. Luckily a third hotspot was just cleared up recently but I fear this threat is far from over. As I write this she will be starting chemo in the next couple weeks and who knows what else from there.
Ultimately we are broke and this may be a longer battle than any of us had hoped. I was on the fence at first about getting a job while she was going through the first round, but I no longer have a choice. I'm in the beginning stages of a new job with a couple other prospects if that one doesn't work out. It's clear that this is a long term battle and we're going to need a steady income for during and after this is all over. But for now we're not in a good situation.
The dull terror of this whole situation is a constant cloud over everything we do. Considering we're both grappling with our own disabilities and depression on a daily basis even without the cancer, this is a nightmarish scenario we're currently living in. She's only 38. This is something we would never have expected having to deal with until decades later. We have so many ideas for our future that we both want to make a reality someday. It's terrifying to me, and I can only imagine what it's like for her.
Anything you're willing to give will be spent on making this extremely difficult period of our lives just a bit more comfortable. We won't have to ration our medications, skip out on snacks she wants (when she's already losing weight and will probably soon lose even more), and worry about our phones being shut off. We also have a cat who needs to see a vet pretty badly but I haven't had the money to take her, so that's weighing on us both too.
Regardless of what I'm going through I want to continue supporting her through this fight in any way I can. Unfortunately much of that support depends on money, and I simply do not have any more to give at this point.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to anyone that's willing to give at this time. We don't enjoy seeking out handouts, but we really need help right now. And if you're unable to give, but can spread the word that would also be appreciated, along with any thoughts, hopes, prayers, and well-wishes.
Then within a two month stretch, while Covid really started ramping up, I lost my job, my insurance, and worst of all Leigh was diagnosed with cancer. It didn't take long to figure out a game plan and enact it. We moved in with her parents who live near a good cancer center and went to work on getting her better.
Through her team of doctors we found that it was a highly aggressive and rare adenocarcinoma. One of the worst cases her brilliant surgeon had ever seen. Several months later she'd had a large aggressive tumor removed from her neck, and undergone radiation of the area to remove any remnants. It was a grueling and terrifying process. She didn't eat at all for several weeks and lost over 100 pounds, and the burns around her neck and throat were awful. In the end though she recovered and was doing really well. I started job hunting again and things were looking up.
With her parents contributing by housing us, keeping us fed, and helping to arrange doctors visits, I was free to be Leigh's personal nurse, therapist, and all around manservant. Because of this we were able to make the the money we had saved up last much longer than it would otherwise. I would pay our phone bills, buy food she had specific cravings for, pay for prescriptions, gas to get to appointments, and things to keep her mind off the horror of what she was going through.
Now for the worst part. A few months later she was getting persistent headaches for weeks after radiation, so when we got it checked out we found that the cancer is back and it's in multiple places. This revelation crushed us. And when we were finally at the point where we'd started to hope we had won the fight, the money we tried to make last throughout this ordeal is now gone.
She's already gone through a second round of radiation on her eye socket where a new growth was threatening the eye itself, and has another possible growth showing itself in her lungs. Luckily a third hotspot was just cleared up recently but I fear this threat is far from over. As I write this she will be starting chemo in the next couple weeks and who knows what else from there.
Ultimately we are broke and this may be a longer battle than any of us had hoped. I was on the fence at first about getting a job while she was going through the first round, but I no longer have a choice. I'm in the beginning stages of a new job with a couple other prospects if that one doesn't work out. It's clear that this is a long term battle and we're going to need a steady income for during and after this is all over. But for now we're not in a good situation.
The dull terror of this whole situation is a constant cloud over everything we do. Considering we're both grappling with our own disabilities and depression on a daily basis even without the cancer, this is a nightmarish scenario we're currently living in. She's only 38. This is something we would never have expected having to deal with until decades later. We have so many ideas for our future that we both want to make a reality someday. It's terrifying to me, and I can only imagine what it's like for her.
Anything you're willing to give will be spent on making this extremely difficult period of our lives just a bit more comfortable. We won't have to ration our medications, skip out on snacks she wants (when she's already losing weight and will probably soon lose even more), and worry about our phones being shut off. We also have a cat who needs to see a vet pretty badly but I haven't had the money to take her, so that's weighing on us both too.
Regardless of what I'm going through I want to continue supporting her through this fight in any way I can. Unfortunately much of that support depends on money, and I simply do not have any more to give at this point.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to anyone that's willing to give at this time. We don't enjoy seeking out handouts, but we really need help right now. And if you're unable to give, but can spread the word that would also be appreciated, along with any thoughts, hopes, prayers, and well-wishes.
Organizer
Derrik Adduce
Organizer
Allentown, PA