Maria mi Vida quality of life with stage4 cancer

Hello great people of this world,

I start this thread with tears welled up in my eyes never thinking that I would be in this position to ask for help because the love of my life if going through something I never even saw coming.

My spouse Maria Elena Vargas who is 37 years old has already been through breast cancer three times in her life. She had a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery to then have her breast cancer come back as metastatic stage four cancer which has spread to her lungs and her brain.

Everything has happened so fast and I cannot even explain how hard this has been on the family and I. January 13 Maria had a major seizure event and was hospitalized and that night they discovered a mass in the brain and from that point forward it leads up to the present day. We had no idea how severe the cancer has spread until Marias self conscious and awareness was affected by the brain tumor affecting her ability to make decisions and be aware of her surroundings. We lived in Clearwater Florida and the family decided that it would be best for her to be in her hometown of Miami at the University of Miami Hospital. Maria spent 3 weeks hospitalized and getting radiation treatments to her brain to help the tumor.

The doctors at the Sylvester Cancer center in Miami are amazing for what they see every single day. They diagnosed her metastatic breast cancer to be treated with a new drug that had been approved a couple years ago called Enhertu. A better treatment option than standard chemotherapy is what they came up with. Maria got her first treatment a couple weeks ago. She has been so strong through this and she is such an amazing woman and it is so hard to see her go through this. The side effects of treatment have affected her a lot and she is so tired these days. Maria is so strong and I see that everyday. I want to fix everything but I know there is only so much I can do. I am just happy to spend any time with her because I know how precious these moments are. Quality of life is the most important thing at this point.

Maria is now living full-time with her father in their condo in Miami as I travel every weekend from Clearwater to Miami which is an eight hour round-trip. I try to stay in contact with the family as much as I can and live for the moments that Maria and I can be together. I am trying to takeoff as much time at work as I can but I work for such a small company that they rely on me so much. And Maria‘s family is so amazing. They try so hard as well and have done so much and I praise them.

We were finally able to get in contact with a social worker at the University of Miami that was able to help us apply for Social Security disability for Maria. Once that is approved hopefully we can get approved for Medicaid supplement. The insurance that Maria has is not covering everything and we need as much help as we can get. But nothing has been approved as of yet because it is a long process. We are just trying to stay afloat and survive as a family and I’m trying my best and the family collectively is paying Maria’s bills as a family would do. But it’s a lot and it is building up so fast and we haven’t even received the Miami hospital bills yet.

I hope this is received well to whom is reading it. I appreciate the time you are taking to read our story. If there is anything you can do to help or recommend another great foundation like this GoFundMe please let me know.

I have never asked anyone for help in my life but at this moment I feel the need to try and reach out for help for the love of my life. I’ve given my entire life and maybe this is the moment I can receive help back, not for me, but for Mi Vida, Maria Vargas. Para siempre mi amor!

The picture in this post is the first time we traveled as a couple to Miami 2 years ago and I have this PICTURE engraved in my mind forever. I think everyone has that image in their minds of their true love at a moment in time that you will never forget. And this was the photo that expresses my happiness and pure love towards Maria.

Thank you again from the heart of Mi Vida Maria & I,

Kevin Latham & mi familia