Help with Rory's Medical Expenses
I can't believe I've waited so long to do this! Things have become so very desperate, financially!
I NEED HELP, PLEASE!
It's against my nature (and Ego,) to ask for help of
any kind! I hate to be a whiner about my situation, and prefer to try and always stay POSITIVE!!
My current problem started 15 years ago, during treatment in my fight against brain cancer, I went through 3 brain surgeries, Gamma knife radiosurgery, chemotherapy, and12 WEEKS of X-Ray radiation "Therapy," that, at the time, did nothing more than make me lose my hair up front. This radiation was absorbed in my skull and scalp, and over the last year brought on Ostoeoma bone tumors in my skull, that I first noticed last summer. Throughout this past year I was having bad headaches Everyday! I finally decided to try and find some relief, in June of this year(2017,) going on Short Term Disability from my work at Molecular Testing Labs(MTL,) on June 12. The payments were only a fraction of my regular pay, and the downhill financial slide began.
The first neurosurgeon said it would require a craniectomy to remove the affected section of skull and replace it with a custom medical plastic plate. 
I had that surgery scheduled for July 25th, but at my pre-surgery visit, the neurosurgeon noticed that a patch of red skin on my scalp had grown into a much larger, deeper lesion! Biopsy confirmed it was radiation induced Atypical Fibroxanthoma (AFX) a malignant skin cancer, that went through my scalp, skull, and into my brain.
That July surgery was cancelled and I was referred to OHSU, where I could receive simultaneous brain surgery, and plastic surgery to fix both my skull and my scalp. By this time I had accumlated $8,000 in (Peace-Health)medical bills from the 20% of the 80/20 plan. Now, I had to do a reset on the surgery planning within the OHSU system!
I began consulting with the OHSU plastic surgeon, then the neurosurgeon. The plan was to cut out the large/deep AFX lesion, replacing it with a skin graft, then let the neurosurgeon do his magic of replacing the affected skull.
The surgery was completed at the OHSU
main hospital on September 5th, taking a full 12 hours. They kept me there for 3 days, until I was able to walk, and pee, on my own. Some of my right frontal lobe needed to be removed, as the AFX deposited some "bad" cells there, but I don't notice any mental deficits, yet.
The skin graft came from my left thigh, resulting in a 16" scar from my knee to my hip. Which is nearly fully healed now(10/10/17)
The skin graft on my head is still very large, sitting at least an inch and a half off the regular scalp. This is from the subcutaneous fat from my thigh skin, they say. and will integrate over time, possibly requiring another procedure of liposuction to reduce the amount of fat. It's the wierdest thing to have leg hair growing on my head, but better than other areas of hair I can think of!
On 9/11, my short term disability payments ended, and I was already in the hole, having barely survived on my credit card through the summer ($10k now due!)
During my time away from work, my health insurance had been "cancelled" and switched to COBRA, due to the premiums not being paid from my paycheck. The owners of MTL have been AMAZING, paying the $1065 COBRA premium for me, through the month of October! But, beginning November, I will have to try and pay the $1k to maintain health/dental/vision insurance for myself, and my 2 "kids;" Jaden, (18 and at WSU now) and Keaton, (16 and a sophomore in Ridgefield HS) How I'm going to do this, I don't know, this is one of the main reasons I'm asking for help, now!
To add to my money problems, my truck needs new tires for the rainy season/winter, and I am dead broke! When the first rain came, I could barely accelerate without spinning my tires. There goes another $700-800
I have applied for Long Term Disability, payments, BUT they told me that because I was only working 50% hours before I left, I may not qualify for the benefit! If this happens, I will be in SERIOUS trouble! As it stands, I'm Seriously stressed out on how I'm going to pay the bills and mortgage THIS month!
On Thursday & Friday, I have follow up appointments with 2 of my doctors, at OHSU, and will know the extent of what was left behind from the surgery, and will determine my course of treatment.
There are so many great charities out there to give to, but if you can, I would really appreciate any help you could give.
If you are in a similar situation as I am, I will be happy if you "just" pray for me to have a positive outcome from this ordeal, please send Positive Love My Way, I need all the help I can get, right now!
Thank You to everyone, in advance, I owe you a hug, please let's connect for you to collect, if possible!
Thank You!!!!
Love Life & Have FUN!!
Rory
