Mike’s BATTLE against Stage 4 Cancer! PLEASE HELP!

My name is Gretchen. The Eldridge family has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. They are family in every sense of the word. We have never fought a battle alone and this one will not be any different. Please help me help them. I can’t imagine what they are all going through. If we can help lessen the financial burden just a little I am sure that will provide a little relief. Thank you in advance!!

It all started in February 2023. We went to Washington DC for a hockey tournament for our daughter, Lizzy. While we were there, Mike had a spot come up on his tongue, almost like a blister or a place he'd bitten. On the way home, he was in so much pain that he couldn't eat or drink. We stopped at a truck stop and I bought him some oragel and motrin. Once we got home, the pain subsided and we went on with life.

A few weeks later, this same place on his tongue began to hurt again. He went to the walk-in clinic at our PCP's office and the doctor put him on steroids and antibiotics, and was told to follow up with his primary if no change.

A few weeks after the steroids and antibiotics, and no change (except for it getting bigger) and endless nagging by me....he went to see his PCP, who said "I don't know what that is, let's get you to an oral surgeon for a biopsy.

So, on April 20th, he was sedated, and they took biopsies from 3 areas along the left side of his tongue. Apparently the tongue is one of the hardest things to biopsy....who knew? Anyway, they said they'd see us on May 8th for results.

We got a phone call on Tuesday, April 25th, saying that the oral surgeon wanted to see him the next day. When we got there Wednesday afternoon, the doctor came in and said he was so sorry, but the biopsies were cancerous. He said he had already sent Mike's information to a head and neck surgeon, and we should hear from them soon.

The surgeon did say that this is a beatable cancer, but it will be a long, drawn-out, difficult journey.

Most recent update-

This cancer is stage 4. The chest is clear so it is not metastasized but what all the tests do show is this tumor has crossed over the 50% center line of his tongue which means he will be cut from ear to ear under his neck to remove lymph nodes from both sides. They will have to remove a huge section of tongue but he's going to try to salvage the tip of his tongue if he can maneuver around the tumor without cutting the major blood vessels and that will allow him to be able to work food in his mouth as well as retain some speech. The back of his tongue will not be affected so he should still be able to swallow food but it will be different. His speech will definitely be affected. At the time of surgery they will remove the tumor, take a large skin patch including blood vessels (from his right arm wrist area and up) to reconstruct

his tongue. They will put in a trach tube for him to breathe because of swelling. They will reduce it to a smaller trach once they can tell he can breathe without the big one. Then hopefully the small one will be removed before he comes home. They will remove his back molar teeth because they will not survive radiation. If they discover any teeth that are not in perfect condition, they will remove them as well because they can't have anything possibly causing infection. They will also put a feeding tube in his stomach because he's going to need it for quite a while going through radiation and possibly chemo. He will be in ICU for a day or two and then a step down for about a week. This really hit hard today. The reality that this is a permanent change to their lives and that he will not speak the same again and may not have much swallowing ability in the future. Surgery is scheduled for May the 26th but doctor has them pushing to get it in any cancellation possible. He goes Tuesday for pre-op appointment and dental appointment and swallowing appointment and he will have a feeding tube appointment. All of this will happen in one surgery. But God......