Iain’s incredible fight- 2 cancers has it's costs!

                           Iain’s Incredible Fight with 2 Cancers!
     I am asking for you to please help me. I can no longer do this on my own.

    I have been fighting two different cancers for over a year. I have tried to stay working, being an active part of the community from theater goings, to fashion events to concerts to assisting others with moves, relocations, job searches, and hell, I even started dating! 

    Unfortunately, as invincible as I thought I could be, having beaten cancer four times previously, the 163 appointments, side effects, extreme costs of co-pays, spend downs,  and additional needs due to infections, took their toll and things imploded financially, mentally and emotionally.  

     In May, I had to stop working, and because I was under contract, I was not eligible for unemployment. The county and state can not help because previously I made too much money. Social Security disability and medicare will kick in but I can’t expect a check until end of August and then, it is only $1040 per month. I had planned to go back to work in July after my chemo ended, but due to all the complications of my multiple treatments I am told MAYBE after Labor Day.

    Then double tragedy struck... Upon coming back from my 2nd to last chemo on June 28th, (due to the special type it is, I had to go to The Mayo in Rochester), my bestie and I found her son dead from lack of insulin. I had helped deliver him and raise him the first five years of his life. He was only 21. Needless to say this has been incredibly emotional and mentally stressful. On the 4th of July my dog was severely injured and she fought for her life. I used every cent I had left to pay for that. I have had so much happen as I have battled cancer that I am literally losing my mind. I have exhausted every resource I have and can find. And with everything I have faced, I do not have it in me to continue to do it on my own anymore. I just can’t do it.

    I find myself in a financial crisis, having used all my cash and credit. I am extremely behind on rent and about to lose my place. I am behind on my credit cards as that is how I have paid for everything and my car is about to be taken unless I can get caught up. 

    Living all alone with a serious illness is hard. Having multiple illnesses is near impossible. Trying to accept the disfigurement of my mouth, my smile, my appearance, my weight loss - I literally have very few clothes I can wear having lost almost 40 pounds. Grieving someone alone is devastating. Having a severely injured animal dependent on you is tragic. My mental state from the steroids to dealing with the ‘chemo brain”, has exhausted me…

     ...HOWEVER, I have friends like all of you who are helping me...by bringing me to life, instilling hope, infusing my outlook with positivity. By getting me out and engaged with life this I appreciate so much. The simple act of being able to feel ‘normal”. 
              I just need to get caught up financially and not become homeless. I need FINANCIAL HELP until I start to get a regular check coming in after returning to work. PLEASE!  Whatever small amount you can! And please share with lots and lots of people because that’s how crowdsourcing works.   


Here is the medical background. 

.Between June and October of this past year I was diagnosed with 2 different types of cancers:


      The first was found in both my upper and lower jaw known as Primary Intraosseous Odontogenic Squamous Cell Carcinoma (PIOSCC). 

    The other cancer is a form of bladder cancer known as Papillary Urothelial Neoplasm of Low-Malignant Potential (PUNLMP). This is different from the bladder cancer I battled five years ago.

     I began radiation treatments in July and completed those in September on my mouth and had some very extensive cleanings. The bladder cancer was discovered during a routine checkup in October with surgery in November. This was to be followed by chemo starting in January, but due to the circumstances it was pushed back and I had to do more radiation. 
       It was very important to prevent infections due to my extremely compromised immune system from the multiple treatments. Most of my February and March lunch hours were spent going to radiation treatments. 
       On April 2nd, I had bone grafts and a LOT of my teeth had to be removed. I am unable to do the communications part of my job, let alone eat. I also REALLY began to use all 37 of my photo apps even more than I had in the past years, to help hide what was going on with me. 

    Beginning May 22nd, I began my  of intravesical Mitomycin. Basically they shove a catheter up your junk and pour the chemicals into your bladder and you walk around with it as long as you can, then you try to pee it all out. NOT FUN!! My last treatment for that was July 5th. I have had to have subsequent dental appointments, scaling bone removal and surgeries almost every week, sometimes more. To say my life has revolved around my health is an understatement.
    I have tried to maintain an appearance of normalcy in my life and the ability to cope. That was difficult to nearly impossible. I would be lying if I didn’t admit to more than one occasion I wanted to die. Just the physical stuff was hard, but the financial hardship added to the mental stress and onset of depression and anxiety.
   I know that I am more than ⅔ of a way through this journey. I have to continue to just let everything heal and then I can return to work and life. However, I don’t have the money to pay for anything and this is causing me great stress and anxiety about becoming homeless. If I can just raise some money to get caught up... 

                     RIGHT AWAY
And then a path to work. I am confident I will make it. I am working with a financial team of people who agree I can do this with the generous help of others. 


I thank you in advance for your kindness and donations. 

Love & Peace

Iain