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HOW THIS STARTED: NOVEMBER 2020
Hi, I am Karen, Chris is my son. Please help me help him!
In November 2020 Chris got a sore on his tongue. He thought he had bitten it while asleep. When it didn't get better he went to the ER and received antibiotics that didn't help. With the pain worsening he returned to the ER and this time was referred to a Ear, nose and mouth specialist. Right away the specialist knew something was terribly wrong and scheduled a biopsy although he was 99% sure it was cancer. They performed the biopsy and removed all of Chris's teeth. At the end of January on Chris's birthday he got the call to visit a Oncologist. It was positive, he has stage 4 tongue cancer. The pet scan shows it hasn't spread below his clavicle so at this point he is getting radiation 5 times a week and chemo once a week. There is a chance this can be treated but his cancer is very aggressive and spreading. They are giving him really strong treatments to fight this and he is going to be in more pain then he can imagine. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I am a widow on a fixed income so I can't do much money wise for him. But I will swallow my pride and ask for help for him. It's just the two of us and I have never been so scared in my life. Thank you! 03/09/2021-Chris is now in his 4th week of treatment and is in lots of pain. His Dr. prescribed a higher dose of one of his pain meds and a special mouthwash for him. Tonight I was not able to get either of them. His insurance doesn't cover them and we just don't have the money. I hate that I don't have the money and I hate asking for it even more, but I don't know what else to do. I can't stand seeing him in so much pain.
IT HAS RETURNED: NOVEMBER 2021
Yes the cancer is back, which we knew, and it has spread to the other side of Chris's tongue. We kind of thought so because he has been having pain in his whole tongue and now the left ear. Since it has spread they will be going for more then just removing part of his tongue. If they can they will try to save a small part, but it looks like his entire tongue has to be removed along with his lymph nodes. If the whole tongue has to be removed then they will remove leg skin and muscle to replace his tongue. He will get a Tracheostomy tube which might get removed some time after he comes home, or he might have that for the rest of his life. He still has his feeding tube which he will have to keep in. If he can learn to swallow and eat it can be removed, otherwise it will be permanent. He will be in the hospital one week depending on how well he does. He can have his swallow and speech therapy done here in town which is good. It will be awhile before he is able to speak so he will only be able to write or text, no talking. After Chris's tongue is removed he is going to have to learn a new way of living, food will not taste the same or he might not be able to eat by mouth. I need to bury my pride once again and ask for monetary help. The cancer coming back and the upcoming surgery obviously was not expected and neither of us have the finances for unexpected expenses. The surgery is scheduled for December 7th 2021 in Los Angeles. We live in Bakersfield so that means out of town trips. He has 2 pre-op appointments in L. A. next week for the surgery and as far as I know we have to go to L.A. on the 6th to be able to have him at the hospital at 5:30 am. on the 7th. That means we will need lodging which we don't have the money for. He will also have follow up appointments in L.A. All these extra expenses, plus the money I have spent on trying to find something to help with the pain he is in, the upkeep on my car for his transport has really left me in dire straights right now and I don't have the money to help him. I really want to thank those who helped him out the first time. You really brought his spirits up and WE thank you so much. I don't know what we would have done without your help. This is so embarrassing for me but I have tried to get loans, my house refinanced and tried selling stuff to no avail. So I am reaching out to anyone who can help, who knows someone who can help, any clubs, organizations that you know who could donate. I am so overwhelmed by everything happening, scared, terrified. Imagine having no tongue, it hurts my heart every time I think about what will be done to Chris or what if the cancer comes back after that? So please help me help my son. Please donate so I can get him what he needs and so he can have something to take his mind off of this. Thank you so much for reading. Karen
Hi, I am Karen, Chris is my son. Please help me help him!
In November 2020 Chris got a sore on his tongue. He thought he had bitten it while asleep. When it didn't get better he went to the ER and received antibiotics that didn't help. With the pain worsening he returned to the ER and this time was referred to a Ear, nose and mouth specialist. Right away the specialist knew something was terribly wrong and scheduled a biopsy although he was 99% sure it was cancer. They performed the biopsy and removed all of Chris's teeth. At the end of January on Chris's birthday he got the call to visit a Oncologist. It was positive, he has stage 4 tongue cancer. The pet scan shows it hasn't spread below his clavicle so at this point he is getting radiation 5 times a week and chemo once a week. There is a chance this can be treated but his cancer is very aggressive and spreading. They are giving him really strong treatments to fight this and he is going to be in more pain then he can imagine. Thank you for taking the time to read this. I am a widow on a fixed income so I can't do much money wise for him. But I will swallow my pride and ask for help for him. It's just the two of us and I have never been so scared in my life. Thank you! 03/09/2021-Chris is now in his 4th week of treatment and is in lots of pain. His Dr. prescribed a higher dose of one of his pain meds and a special mouthwash for him. Tonight I was not able to get either of them. His insurance doesn't cover them and we just don't have the money. I hate that I don't have the money and I hate asking for it even more, but I don't know what else to do. I can't stand seeing him in so much pain.
IT HAS RETURNED: NOVEMBER 2021
Yes the cancer is back, which we knew, and it has spread to the other side of Chris's tongue. We kind of thought so because he has been having pain in his whole tongue and now the left ear. Since it has spread they will be going for more then just removing part of his tongue. If they can they will try to save a small part, but it looks like his entire tongue has to be removed along with his lymph nodes. If the whole tongue has to be removed then they will remove leg skin and muscle to replace his tongue. He will get a Tracheostomy tube which might get removed some time after he comes home, or he might have that for the rest of his life. He still has his feeding tube which he will have to keep in. If he can learn to swallow and eat it can be removed, otherwise it will be permanent. He will be in the hospital one week depending on how well he does. He can have his swallow and speech therapy done here in town which is good. It will be awhile before he is able to speak so he will only be able to write or text, no talking. After Chris's tongue is removed he is going to have to learn a new way of living, food will not taste the same or he might not be able to eat by mouth. I need to bury my pride once again and ask for monetary help. The cancer coming back and the upcoming surgery obviously was not expected and neither of us have the finances for unexpected expenses. The surgery is scheduled for December 7th 2021 in Los Angeles. We live in Bakersfield so that means out of town trips. He has 2 pre-op appointments in L. A. next week for the surgery and as far as I know we have to go to L.A. on the 6th to be able to have him at the hospital at 5:30 am. on the 7th. That means we will need lodging which we don't have the money for. He will also have follow up appointments in L.A. All these extra expenses, plus the money I have spent on trying to find something to help with the pain he is in, the upkeep on my car for his transport has really left me in dire straights right now and I don't have the money to help him. I really want to thank those who helped him out the first time. You really brought his spirits up and WE thank you so much. I don't know what we would have done without your help. This is so embarrassing for me but I have tried to get loans, my house refinanced and tried selling stuff to no avail. So I am reaching out to anyone who can help, who knows someone who can help, any clubs, organizations that you know who could donate. I am so overwhelmed by everything happening, scared, terrified. Imagine having no tongue, it hurts my heart every time I think about what will be done to Chris or what if the cancer comes back after that? So please help me help my son. Please donate so I can get him what he needs and so he can have something to take his mind off of this. Thank you so much for reading. Karen