Hi folks, my name is Ben. I'm a 47-year-old family man and trucker. My fight began with minimal mobility in my legs. I started to grow numbness and tingling in my legs somewhere in the last day of November. I initially thought it was because of the long haul hours I would endure sitting while driving. I began to notice changes in my walk and stance. My knees wanted to buckle while exercising or walking around my truck during my 30-minute break. Then I noticed my condition getting worse; I was walking like my 2-year-old grandbaby who's getting the hang of walking herself.

It was then I decided to take advantage of the Christmas break to see a chiropractor as things slowed down for the holidays at work. I thought going to the chiropractor would straighten things out (no pun intended). After my first visit and X-rays, they started to work on me and believed they could get me fixed up, but I was wrong, and so was he. Little did I know the chiropractor almost paralyzed me for good while trying to straighten me out. On Dec 28th, the night that I came from the chiropractor's office after treatment, I came home and took a nap. When I woke up, I got up from my bed and walked (hobbled) into my TV room to close the blinds. As I stepped back, that's when my legs quit. I went down like a wet towel after a hot shower. In the process of going down, I tried to fall on the couch but didn't make it. My right toe did not pivot with my foot. I broke it in the process. I was able to get back up. I didn't know what to do; I didn't know what was going on with my body. I was scared and desperate. I called my sister and told her what was happening. She's the one who convinced me to go to the E.R. I didn't want to worry my wife at the time as she has been studying religiously for her citizenship in the dining room. So yeah, I called my sister instead. I eventually told my wife what happened when she took a break from studying. But I told her on the way back from Target. Instead of coming back home, we went to the emergency room. It was determined through an MRI that a tumor was pushing against my spinal cord and pinching the flow of spinal fluid to my legs and eventually to my brain if I didn't come to the E.R. on time. Because of their findings, I was transported from Medical City Frisco to the spinal team in Medical City Plano. It was an emergency procedure from what I was told. They did a laminectomy of the T6 T7. They also did a biopsy of the tumor. I spent recovery in the ICU. That was when I met the oncologist as he walked in to give me the news of the biopsy. I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. We were devastated. It's a type of cancer, treatable cancer. He also explained that I have enlarged lymph nodes in my belly area. We're in April now. I've regained 90 percent of my legs; my toe is twisted for good, but that doesn't hinder me from walking with my grandbabies. I finished radiation for the tumor, and now, April 7th, I start chemotherapy. I will forever have a "nerve deficit." I'm not sure I can return to work, but I'm looking forward to it. I'm asking for some assistance from the reader. Your gift will help with the rising cost of food, medical insurance dues and copays, and incoming bills that are due to arrive. Anything helps, even a share.

Thank you for reading.

Thank you for your prayers.

Thank you for sharing.