Hello,

My name is Mike..

I received Devastating news on June 17 that impacted my life completely..

I had been having stomach pains for a few weeks occasionally I would get sick and that would relieve the pain for short periods.. everyone including myself noticed I was losing weight very quickly enough to make me question something was not normal I even called my weight loss surgeons office to try to get some clue to what might be going on the Doctor said he wanted to see me in the office but I told the lady on the phone I couldn't do that because I didn't have any health insurance because I had just started a new job with a company that didn't offer health insurance so I was putting off going to the doctor... Then my heart meds started running out I had 3 of them that were $800 a month out of pocket.. I called my cardiologist to try to get a different prescription of some samples but over a weeks time I left several messages and never heard anything back so I ran out of one of the meds and I went through withdrawals that I thought were going to kill me.. they lasted for 3 days. Then the heart doctor contacted me and said they had samples of the meds I needed so I went straight there to pick them up and took them before I left the parking lot. Then the next morning I took another dose.. about 2 hours later I started having a side effect from the medicine that was causing me to get violently sick every 15-20 minutes. I pushed myself through the day hoping the getting sick would subside.. then while I was on the phone with my girlfriend it was happening and she was getting so upset and wanted me to go to the ER. I told her I could not because I had to finish my work day but she made me promise I would go as soon as I got off. So I did. She drove all the way from New Jersey to meet me in Seaford at the emergency room.

The immediately took my back and started doing test and X-rays. Then that doctor comes in and tells us that the wanted to do a CT Scan because there were some abnormalities in the X-ray. That she needed more testing but she was afraid from 3 markers combined that I had cancer..

(sorry just writing this thinking about it has me in tears)

She said that they need to find where I'm losing blood at that I was also bleeding internally.

I received a blood transfusion and biopsy of my lymph nodes and went home to wait for the results that could take 3 days to a week..

After a week with no answer from anyone Lisa was getting upset because she was watching me in pain suffering and getting sicker everyday.

I started getting lumps all over my body some the side of a lime.

After Lisa calling sending messages every day all day for almost 2 weeks she finally got through to someone who was willing to give her an answer.

The biopsy came back insufficient!!?? What did that mean??

"Insufficient"??

That I needed to set up an appointment with a surgeon to have my lymph node in my groin removed...

But I don't have any insurance!!!???

Lisa started applying for different things and calling people and day talking to everyone trying to get me insurance while taking care of me on top of trying to work and run a house taking care of her kids trying to keep her own life as normal as possible while also trying to maintain a mental well-being of what was going on with her very new boyfriend of only 3 months that she was watching die...

She set up an appointment with the surgeon and I showed him all the new lumps I had and he set me up for surgery to remove one of the lumps in my thigh.

I left his office and went straight to the ER to get faster results.

They did new X-rays and CT scans and where I had on nodule on my lower right lung one lession on my spine and on abnormal lymph node. Now I had spots all over my body 4 new ones in my lungs one of which was in my trekea causing me to have difficulty breathing. They did a biopsy on that one and and told me that they need to do a biopsy on the lump in my thigh also because they think I have 2 different Cancers!!!

It was now 4 of July that they would not be able to do surgery until maybe Tuesday 5 days later that I would have to stay in the hospital thru the weekend without any news just being poked 2-3 times a day to do blood work with the same results as the blood work from the one prior..

Lisa needed to be home with her family for the holiday weekend she had been sleeping in a chair next to my bed already for 5 days.

So I asked the doctor if I could just go home and come back..

They had to call 4 different specialists Blood doctor, Cardiologist, Oncologist, and the General Surgeon to get approved they said it would not hurt me to sign myself out but the strongly disagree with that decision.. I Made my own and decided to go home with Lisa for the weekend..

Monday morning I received a phone call from the surgeon who told me the results from the biopsy in my trekea came back that I had CANCER!!!

He told me the results and said I was had

(End Stage, Stage 4 Mestatic Malanoma)

That it had manifested to my organs, Blood and Lymph nodes..

I was in complete devastation!!!

I've always understood that ones it's in your blood or lymph nodes that was it!!! That there was no hope!!!

I cried and cried and was so depressed I stayed in bed for weeks. All I did was cry and I was so angry!!

"I was going to die!!! "

I went to see the Oncologist

The first the I asked was how long do I have??

He looked me straight in the eye and said he doesn't do time limits...

That he wants me to try immunotherapy that there was a combination of 2 new drugs that have been out for a few months but all have had astonishing results...

He set me up for my first treatment that was going to be almost 2 weeks out...

I wasn't working how was I going to live? I will be having treatments for at least a year..

Lisa again got on the phone and computer calling national Cancer society begging for help for me she started a go fund me the was working great for the first month in a half.. but has fizzled completely out.

She applied for SSDI and Food Stamps for me. I was approved for both but SSDI would not start until January that I can't be able to work for 5 months.. Really?? How will I survive? How will I get to my Doctor appointments?? How will I pay my bills? I started getting rid of everything I kept the Jeep so I can make it to the doctors....

4-6 times a month to the appointments and treatments.

It's costing me with gas and tolls $80 a trip. That without the GoFundMe and help from family Friends strangers and even one of my doctors donated to I wouldn't be able to make these trips that are saving my life..

Just after only 3 treatments I've gone from bed ridden convinced I was going to die...

To were all my feelable tumors can't be found.. most days I feel like myself again!! I've gone fishing and crabbing a few times I try to walk around the block daily.. I go to the store by myself again.. I'm not sleeping all day and night. I feel good!! I'm not taking and meds for pain anymore. I'm a different person.. but my mental status is not great some days.. I'm worried all the time I'm worried about money I'm worried about bills I'm 2 months behind on my car payment .

I'm worried I won't be able to make my 2 doctor appointments this coming week one is for a treatment in Berlin MD. So I'm asking again if everyone could please share this new GoFundMe I'm I understand money is tight times are hard for everyone.. but a share helps so much .

So much more then you ever knew!! I only need to do this for a few more months. Then I will have some of a little income from SSDI..

I sorry for this long story but I appreciate everyone who took the time to read. Who took the time to understand what I've gone thru what I am still going thru.. and hopefully this reaches the right people so I can get through the next few months..

That you to all my family and friends and complete strangers that have taken the time to donate or share this for me.. thank you to Lisa who stayed when after only 3 months of knowing me she could have walked away and nobody would have thought any less of her.. this was my problem not hers.. she has do more then anyone sees or knows.. she put her own life on hold she interrupted her own life...

If you see her Thank her for being a woman she didn't have to be.. for going above and beyond for me!! If it wasn't for her I know I would not be here be alive today to write my story...

I still have a very long road ahead of me.. but from my view it's looking better everyday..

Thank you again

Mike

With your Help I'm going to beat this!!!!