Hey friends, this isn't what I had planned and this wasn't the direction I ever wanted to go.

My name is Cache Nielson, and on August, 16th, 2020, after collapsing from what I thought was kidney stone pain at my house? I was rushed to Davis hospital and immediately put under the knife.

When I woke up the next day? I woke up to the surgeon on hand telling me that

I was unfortunately diagnosed with stage 3 testicular cancer and that he was thankful, I had seen him as soon as I did as I was entering sepsis.

In that very moment, I couldn't even fathom the words to respond with. Just those words alone? caused me to faint from thinking all of this was going to be a simple fix.

I guess that means I don't have to work my warehouse job tomorrow so I'm off the hook right? Next step home for some rest? Nope not in the slightest, as I was then referred to two amazing oncologist's up at the university of Utah to begin treatment immediately.

I don't need to tell anyone that cancer sucks. because we all know it's an awful disease, that takes the best people you know far sooner than you'd like.

My treatments consisted of 4 rounds of chemotherapy with only a few days in-between each session length. My experiences during chemotherapy were not great, and I suppose that's putting it lightly.

March, 15th, 2021

I was given a cavalcade of different drugs with all sorts of side effects to contend with. I was told during my treatments that I should try as many of these available drugs that I could, to determine which of them work best for me.

Each drug had one benefit, and also a detriment to go alongside it. You have nausea? Take this and your nausea goes away, but now you can't eat anything.

Take this one? And your migraines disappear into thin air. But now you can't think straight without wanting to scream.

And don't get me started on pain pills! What an immense blessing but also an incurable curse! I struggled during my treatments to not OD, on the only thing that could provide me a momentary piece of mind. Think of every pain pill in the books? I've tried it.

When starting my treatments? My team opted to primarily inject these poisonous yet "life saving" drugs directly through my bloodstream through infusions a.k.a needles, needles, needles, rather than using a port. As time went on, my arms were littered with injection sites that made me look like a junkie.

In the years since my last chemotherapy sessions, I decided to cover up all of my painful reminders of my ordeal, with pretty flowers. It's a lot easier to look at my body with pretty floral than collapsed veins and bad memories.

I've seen some shit that most people would only experience in a time of war. The amount of PTSD I've experienced from all of this? has had profound effects on my own mental health and my trust within those who are simply trying to help. I can't set foot into an instacare these days without having a panic attack, even if I'm getting seen for something as simple as a cold or the flu.

The last surgery I had, involved ripping my abdomen apart and removing cancerous lymph nodes in the back of my stomach. That surgery felt like getting hit by a train, covered in spikes and soaked in fire.

That surgery was called RPLND, look it up it if you feel like it? I've been telling people over the years that I must've got bit by a shark.

Most people according to my oncologist's? Spend at least two to three weeks in the hospital to recover from it. I was so determined to get out of there, that I stopped all pain medication and was running around my hospital ward in incredible pain just to show them that I didn't want to stay there anymore.

I've lost a lot of things to cancer.

a lot more than I would've expected I would.

I lost my ability to have children

I missed out on my best friend's weddings

and most importantly I lost touch with the world and everyone else around me.

I've been fighting for my life the last few years trying to tackle this diagnosis on my own. Surgery after surgery and four rounds of chemotherapy later and I'm struggling to keep fighting and stay afloat.

Cancer treatment isn't cheap, and if your middle class? Your financial relief options disappear almost immediately upon getting seen.

I never wanted to publicize my diagnosis as I live a very private life. and I didn't want to concern or worry my friends and family over this.

I thought all of this was a "ME" issue and I didn't feel right asking for help from anyone, thinking I could do this "alone".

However, I'm now at the point where I have exhausted all of my savings and I'm struggling to make it, living paycheck to paycheck.

So far, I have paid $15,000 out of pocket, working through paying off my debts and forgoing necessary scans and follow-ups with my doctors, just to pay for all of my past treatments and surgeries.

I've asked myself over the years, if I wanted to die of poverty or die from disease? And frankly, I couldn't find a "middle" when it came to these decisions

I didn't stop treatment because I was officially cured. I stopped treatment because I couldn't afford it anymore.

I'm asking for any and all help for fighting my diagnosis so I can finally start living again and not be drowning in debt.

All funds will be solely used to pay off pre-existing medical debt that I have incurred over the past few years. And allow me to get a CT scan, as well as pursue further treatments so I can figure out where I stand with my health.

Thank you

- Cache