Skyler’s Cancer Journey: Round 2

For 10 years, Skyler "Big John" Ipock labored in the underground mines of Western Kentucky to provide for his family. For those unfamiliar, this job is incredibly dangerous and backbreaking. In November 2023, Skyler sustained a back injury while operating a shuttle car approximately 700 feet below the earth’s surface. After years of diligent work, a previous back injury from the coal mines, and this new injury, Skyler was left with a damaged sciatic nerve, spinal stenosis at L3 and L4, and a herniated L5, which will cause him pain for the rest of his life. After six months of receiving workers' compensation benefits and facing multiple denials for disability benefits, he was let go from his position in the mines.

Shortly after his dismissal, in April 2024, I took Skyler to the doctor due to his complaints of kidney pain. Initially, we thought he had kidney stones, but we were quickly informed that the doctors suspected lymphoma. The pain was attributed to a tumor in his lymph node that was pressing against his kidney. A few days, scans, and a biopsy later, we met with his oncologist, who confirmed that Skyler had cancer. However, he was unsure of the exact type and would review his case with a panel of specialized pathologists. They concluded that Skyler was in stage 2 of germ cell (testicular) cancer, which had spread throughout his lymphatic system. Skyler’s oncologist ordered an immediate removal of his left testicle—tragically, his favorite one. Following the surgery, he began four rounds of chemotherapy over the course of 12 weeks in Owensboro, Kentucky.

Enduring chemotherapy was excruciating for Skyler. His body became increasingly weak, and he experienced unbearable pain. There were many days when I had to help him out of bed, dress him, and carry him to the car just so he could attend his treatment. During this time, Skyler developed a blood clot that hospitalized him and almost took his life, causing further delays in his treatments. Despite the immense challenges, we held strong in our faith, believing that Skyler would emerge cancer-free and healthy. In September 2024, after completing his treatments, Skyler received the most wonderful news—we learned he was cancer-free.

It took until January of this year for Skyler to regain enough strength to be approved by his doctors to return to work. This was a significant relief, as we had struggled financially during his time off. Thankfully, due to Skyler’s responsible financial planning, we had a safety net of savings that he had built over the years to prepare for unforeseen challenges like this.

However, in early February, Skyler began to experience severe pain in his neck. Concerned that he might have developed another life-threatening blood clot, I encouraged him to go to the emergency room. After many hours of tests and scans, the doctors informed us that the pain was caused by an inflamed mass in a lymph node in his neck and referred him back to his oncologist. Following a new PET scan, on February 20th, Dr. Hodskins confirmed the heartbreaking news—Skyler's cancer has returned. He has several tumors throughout his lymphatic system, specifically in his neck and surrounding his kidney. We are awaiting further consultation from Vanderbilt as Dr. Hodskins seeks a second opinion from specialized pathologists to determine the most effective chemotherapy regimen to help Skyler achieve remission once again.

This shocking news has come as a significant setback just as we were beginning to regain our footing. If you know us, you understand that we typically do not ask others for assistance. However, given that we have exhausted our savings during the initial round of chemotherapy, faced multiple denials for disability benefits related to both Skyler's back injuries and his cancer, I have decided to set up a GoFundMe campaign. This will provide an official platform for those who wish to support our family during this challenging time. In addition, I will be designing T-shirts for fundraising and organizing other events like silent auctions and bake sales. The funds raised will help cover expenses such as travel, nutritious food and supplements, comfort items for Skyler, and assistance with bills, as he will be too ill to work and has not accrued sufficient paid time off. I have set our goal at 50,000 because that is approximately how much we went through in bills and expenses over the course of his first battle with cancer. 

We do not expect anyone to contribute, but we hope you will keep Skyler and our family in your prayers as we navigate through this obstacle and share his story in hopes of gathering as many prayer warriors as possible. We are profoundly grateful for the blessings God has bestowed upon us, and we trust that He will guide us along this challenging journey. Thank you all so much for your support ❤️