Mele's Fight Song
Donation protected
I am a musician and an entertainer. As such, I have made people laugh and cry and love most of my life. From the stage, I passionately give all of my energy for your experience of the music. And now, I need your voice.
Cancer has been hard to explain to the four little ones. George (age 3) thinks that I was stung by a scorpion and I had poison in my stomach, which is why they had to cut me open. Alexandra (age 3) thought that I just ate too much food and I couldn't poop it out. She thinks I need prune juice. Victoria (age 3) thinks that I just forgot to take my vitamins. And that I forgot to brush my teeth. Henry (age 5) thinks that I had a germ get into my blood and that my blood doesn’t want to fight back. So it integrated into an owie in my stomach which is why they had to take it out.
It began before March 4th, but I only became aware of it when I was admitted from the ER with severe abdominal pains. I waded through lots of testing with gynecology and oncology and ended up with emergency surgery. After 6 hours of surgery, the news is worse than expected. They found cancer. I began surgery recovery at home after a week in the hospital. When I have healed enough (~4 weeks), I will begin at least five months of chemotherapy. The detailed pathology reports show that there were at least five affected areas with two different types of cancer. Chemotherapy is aggressive as well, with weekly treatment planned.
It is, and will continue to be, hard to be unable to do the work that I love - performing at Universal Studios as well as Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa. Although, when I feel well enough, I will be there playing the piano and singing away.
My partner, (Dana) Maurie Lung, will be helping to manage this account (you will notice her as the beneficiary) as well as posting about progress. Especially as I start to not feel as well. If you want to follow my journey visit https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mele.
I am eternally optimistic. I am grateful for all of you who are willing to support me financially at this time while we walk this bumpy road. This is my fight song... and I've still got a lot of fight left in me.
Cancer has been hard to explain to the four little ones. George (age 3) thinks that I was stung by a scorpion and I had poison in my stomach, which is why they had to cut me open. Alexandra (age 3) thought that I just ate too much food and I couldn't poop it out. She thinks I need prune juice. Victoria (age 3) thinks that I just forgot to take my vitamins. And that I forgot to brush my teeth. Henry (age 5) thinks that I had a germ get into my blood and that my blood doesn’t want to fight back. So it integrated into an owie in my stomach which is why they had to take it out.
It began before March 4th, but I only became aware of it when I was admitted from the ER with severe abdominal pains. I waded through lots of testing with gynecology and oncology and ended up with emergency surgery. After 6 hours of surgery, the news is worse than expected. They found cancer. I began surgery recovery at home after a week in the hospital. When I have healed enough (~4 weeks), I will begin at least five months of chemotherapy. The detailed pathology reports show that there were at least five affected areas with two different types of cancer. Chemotherapy is aggressive as well, with weekly treatment planned.
It is, and will continue to be, hard to be unable to do the work that I love - performing at Universal Studios as well as Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa. Although, when I feel well enough, I will be there playing the piano and singing away.
My partner, (Dana) Maurie Lung, will be helping to manage this account (you will notice her as the beneficiary) as well as posting about progress. Especially as I start to not feel as well. If you want to follow my journey visit https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/mele.
I am eternally optimistic. I am grateful for all of you who are willing to support me financially at this time while we walk this bumpy road. This is my fight song... and I've still got a lot of fight left in me.
Organizer and beneficiary
Emilia Mele
Organizer
St. Petersburg, FL
Dana Maureen Lung
Beneficiary
