A Hard Update I Never Expected to Share

I truly hoped my last update would be the end of this journey — but it turns out my fight isn’t over yet.

If you are seeing this for the first time please skip to where it says “A Life Changing Diagnosis” to see where it all began

During my pre-Whipple screenings, doctors discovered a small aneurysm on my heart. At the time, they assured me it wasn’t urgent and that our sole focus needed to be on beating cancer first. I did exactly that — and I’m incredibly grateful to say that I am now cancer free.

Unfortunately, the chemotherapy that saved my life also caused significant damage to my heart. What was once considered “small” has now become dangerous. With cancer behind me, I have no choice but to address this immediately.

Tomorrow, I will undergo an aortic root replacement — a major open-heart surgery.

This past year has already taken so much. Cancer treatment forced me to reduce my work hours, and I haven’t yet been able to recover financially. I’m still actively paying off last year’s medical bills, which has been a slow and overwhelming process.

Now, I’ve been hit with another major blow: the hospital has required me to prepay my maximum out-of-pocket cost, which my insurance company nearly doubled. That means an additional $4,600 due immediately — on top of an already crushing amount of medical debt.

After surgery, I will be out of work for at least six weeks, possibly longer, while I recover.

Asking for help again is incredibly hard. I know so many of you have already shown me kindness and generosity, and I will never be able to fully express how grateful I am. If you’re able to help in any way — whether through a donation or simply by sharing this page — it would mean more than I can put into words.

Your support is helping me survive not just medically, but emotionally and financially as well.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.

A Life-Changing Diagnosis

In mid-October 2024, my life changed forever. I spontaneously turned jaundiced—my skin and eyes turned yellow. What was initially suspected to be a gallstone blocking my bile duct turned into something much more serious. After multiple scans and an endoscopy, I woke up to a doctor introducing himself as a surgical oncologist. My heart sank—I knew what that meant.

Instead of a gallstone, they had found a mass. The biopsy results initially gave me hope, indicating normal tissue, but a deeper analysis revealed the devastating truth: I have Ampullary Cancer.

What is Ampullary Cancer?

Ampullary cancer is a rare cancer that forms in the ampulla of Vater, where the bile duct and pancreatic duct meet before emptying into the small intestine. Because of its location, it can block the flow of bile, causing early symptoms like jaundice, weight loss, and digestive issues.

Unlike some pancreatic cancers that go undetected for a long time, ampullary cancer is often found earlier, which can improve treatment outcomes—but the treatment is extremely complex and requires major surgery. Five-Year survival rate is 30-60% mainly because the surgery is so invasive with high risk for complications.

Enduring One of the Most Invasive Surgeries

To fight this, I had to undergo a Whipple Procedure—a complex and invasive surgeries, involving 6 hours of surgery removal of my gallbladder, part of my bile duct, the top portion of my small intestine, and part of my pancreas. I worked until the day before my surgery, trying to hold on to some sense of normalcy.

On December 11, 2024, I went into surgery, expecting a long but manageable recovery. However, complications arose—my pancreas collapsed, and I became septic. A second emergency surgery followed two days after my original surgery, extending my stay in the ICU. My family was terrified as I battled for my life.

Battling Life-Threatening Complications

Recovery was anything but smooth. I struggled to breathe, talk, and even stay awake. Just as I started regaining strength, I suffered two pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in my lungs), sending me back into the ICU. The fight wasn’t over.

Eventually I was transferred to the rehabilitation floor where I had to work with therapists several times a day to relearn how to dress myself, walk with a walker, and even learn how to get in and out of a car.

After five grueling weeks in the hospital, I was finally released on January 16, 2025. But my battle is far from over. I have regular visits from nurses and physical therapists and strength training exercises—I now face 26 weeks of chemotherapy, daily medications (including Creon for digestion), and an uphill financial struggle.

Why I Need Your Help

Due to this life-altering ordeal, I have missed three months of work and counting--(my leave off was unpaid), losing one-third of my annual income during my busiest season. Despite having insurance, my medical bills, copays, and coinsurance are overwhelming, especially as my maximum out-of-pocket costs reset for 2025.

Medical expenses & insurance copays (hospital bills, chemotherapy, medications)

Living expenses & lost wages (I have exhausted my savings trying to stay afloat)

Essential medications (Creon alone costs $3,100/month without insurance)

I am facing a long road to recovery, physically and financially. I never imagined I’d be in this position, but I need help to keep up with these mounting costs.

How You Can Make a Difference

Any donation—big or small—will help me focus on healing without the crippling stress of financial ruin. If you’re unable to donate, sharing this fundraiser with others can make an incredible impact.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your generosity, kindness, and support. I am beyond grateful for any help during this challenging time.

With gratitude,

Richard