Assistance for Jimmy Graham

Even if you are unable to help financially, that is okay. Maybe you have time to read this story... (warning: it is long but it's well worth the read) please and thank you in advance!

This is Kristi Graham, Jimmy Graham's daughter. I have created this account because, well let's face it, everyone needs some help every now and then and even though it is hard to ask, I'm asking.  Here's his story:

August of 2014, i received numerous phone calls from my dad's friends saying that he wasn't doing well. My dad lived in Riverside, TX and I lived in Webster, TX.  After a day of these phone calls, I prepared for the worst, grabbed some boxes, and drove to Riverside to see my dad. Seeing him was shocking. It was obvious that my dad had skin cancer to the face. Starting on his nose. There was already a small hole forming on his nose and I told him it was time for him to get some help. He finally agreed and we packed some of his necessities and we drove back to Webster. I took him to the hospital I worked at and in the ER is where my good friend, Dr. White examined him. He knew right away that my dad needed to see an ENT specialist which my hospital did not have. He was also diagnosed with Diabetes during this time. Dad was transfered by ambulance to UTMB where they began his diagnostic treatment.  After numerous biopsies, scans, and blood work... Our worst nightmare became reality. Dad had 2 types of skin cancer. Basal and sqamous cell carcinoma of the face. He needed surgery but he did not have insurance. After a couple weeks of being in the hospital he was discharged home. Little help as to assistance or what to do next. He went to live with his sister, Anigie, and she was able to help us get him medicaid. Once he recieved that we filed paperwork to get him to the wonderful MD Anderson.  A year after his diagnosis we were finally approved to be seen. August 2015 we had our first visit. They did more scans and more bloodwork and took their own biopsies which was extremely painful for him. Dad was started on chemotherapy, which he recieved a full round. This only helped the drainage from the wound. It only haulted the cancer formation. We met a surgeon (will leave his name out) who said he could help us. But after more scans, a mass was found on dad's right parotid gland. After everything the surgeon gave dad the option to have surgery or not have surgery due to the fact that he could have METS. After thinking about it, Dad said he wanted to fight. NOT give up. He was too young (about to be 55). We made the appointment to tell the Dr. that we wanted to move forward with the surgery. That was when the bad news came. As my dad, myself, and 2 of his sisters were waiting, the doctor came in and basically said that he and "the board" decided that his surgery would not change his prognosis and that he could no longer help him. He then had a social worker come in and discuss options for hospice. I could not believe it. Me and my family just cried. I looked down at the pamphlet and it was the same hospice pamphlet that I had received for my mom, just 5 years prior. Was i going to lose another parent? We left there feeling hopeless and upset. In those next few months we did some palliative surgeries to help with pain. Dad had all his teeth removed since they were broken and decayed and he also had the left eye removed because at this point a year had gone by since diagnosis and the cancer spread over to his left eye and cheek area, and the eye was no longer functioning. The eye could have been saved if the first surgeon hadn't given up on us. After months of researching and debating on going to another state for a second opinion, there was another Head and Neck Surgeon at MD Anderson that was willing to meet with us and give us a second opinion, Dr. Hessel. A wonderful soul and person she is. She looked at EVERYTHING we have done so far. She was given all the information up front. She was not worried about the other masses and came up with a surgical plan. She wanted to split the surgies up to cut down on the amount of time spent in the OR. The first surgery was scheduled to remove the right parotid mass and get better biopsies of this. This was completed without complications in early 2016. Biopsies were negative. Benign tumor. The major surgery was scheduled for June 2016. 4 surgeons were in on this surgery. Dr. Hessel (Head and Neck), Dr. Raza (neurosurgeon)- as the tumor eroded down to the lining of the brain behind the old eye... Dr. Hanasono (Plastic surgeon)- who would perform the skin flap portion, and Dr. Allen (optics)- to be there to make sure the only good eye was not compromised. After almost 18 hours of surgery, dad was taken to the ICU where he would stay overnight, on a ventilator. I was the first one out of numerous family members, to see him. When i saw him, at first i was so amazed at the work the surgeons had accomplished. He lived. The ugly cancer was no longer visable. There was now healthy skin over the huge hole that took over his face. But then I broke down and cried because he no longer looked like my dad anymore. The face I always knew. It was a lot to take in at that time. The skin flap was removed from his right leg along with vein grafts to supply the large graft with good blood supply. The next 24 hours were crutial.  The rest of the family came to see him and then everyone went home. We had all been up there for almost 24 hours and everyone had to drive a long ways home. After a couple weeks in the ICU, dad was moved to the regular head and neck floor. I stayed with him a couple times. They had a hard time giving him oxygen because he no longer had a nose and nothing could touch the flap area. Not even oxygen tubing. They made a "shield" for him so oxygen could flow in front of his face and he could breathe it in. One night, I was staying there and his oxygen levels kept dropping. I got the nurse and told her (me being an ICU nurse myself) something was not right. He was lethargic and not easily arousable. She adjusted his o2 and left. He was barely maintainging at 90%. Early in the AM, i told the nurse to get in there and call the rapid response team. My dad was barely breathing and making gurgling sounds. A huge group of people showed up and I told them what happened and told them that he needed to be intubated right away (put back on the breathing machine). When they came in with the crash cart, i had to step out. I cried. I deal with these situations all the time with my job, but when it's your own family, it's different. He was intubated and rushed back to the ICU.  Turns out he developed pneumonia from not being as mobile as usual since his major surgery. He stayed on the ventilator overnight. The next morning he was extubated (taken off the vent). He asked me what happened and I told him. Once again, he was pretty lucky to be alive and I'm glad i was there that night, or I don't know what would have happened. After a couple more weeks, he started doing more PT and was able to walk around the unit. (He had a hard time since they took a lot of muscle and tissue off of the right leg).
He was sent home soon after that and had some stuggles along the way. He fell about 3 times within 2 weeks of being discharged. I had gone back to work at that time. He then went to stay with his sister Betty for a little while until he was strong enough to be on his own and not fall. It is now July 2016 and dad slowly recovered. After healing, we were back at MD Anderson for follow ups and next course of action. Radiation was next. 6 weeks straight of radiation, Monday through Friday. This was extremely difficult for him and my family, as he could no longer drive and I had work. But with much help he never missed an appointment! He rang the bell on September 8th (his birthday) after completing his last session of radiation.

If you are still reading, this is where we are now.... April 2017. The radiation took a toll on the beautiful flap that once covered the hole in his face. The flap is completely disintegrated. The hole returned, larger this time and has now taken half of the upper lip and also part of his upper palate. Dad needs surgery to fix this defect so he can live as close to a normal life as possible without people starring. He cannot receive a prosthetic nose or his dentures until this surgery is complete. Dad has only been able to eat soft foods and drink protein drinks to maintain his weight. This plan for surgery has begun and is tentative for early August. This will be another major surgery.

This page was set up because we recently had to purchase a trailer for my dad to live in, as he had no home, no money, no car and is no longer able to work or drive. This was a lot of money for me and my family to put forward. I would like to be able to relieve some of that burden off me and my family and also not have to worry about all the expenses that are to come with this next surgery. Multiple parking fees, home health, medical equipment he will need, etc.

It is so hard for anyone to ask for any kind of help but I have to admit, the time has come to ask. It truly does take a village.....
Thank you so much for your time to read our story.
God bless!