Hi, my name is Taleisa Starnes. My husband Josh Starnes was diagnosed with thyroid cancer March 2021. He had his thyroid removed and received a radiation treatment at that time. Fast forward to June 2023, Josh starts coughing up blood again, we knew the cancer was back but now it’s also in his lungs. The tumor that was removed in 2021 had grown back. August 2023 Josh received his 2nd round of irradiated iodine. December 05 2023 we found out the radiation didn’t work and the tumor in his neck had grown. Things have happened so fast since that day. It was decided that direct beam radiation was the next step. It was also decided that because the tumor was slowly compromising the airway that a tracheostomy should be installed and scheduled for January 05 2024. Fast forward to January 03 2024, Josh was rushed to the ER where, by what I can only describe as a miracle, his ENT was at the hospital in the early hours and an OR was ready and waiting. His surgeon told me “we could have been in trouble if I hadn’t been here tonight, I wasn’t even sure why I was here today until I heard you were on the way in”. Josh spent 3 nights in Medical ICU, and another 2 nights in a room. We finally made it home Monday night around 9pm. Josh had picked up a cold/flu bug which caused our emergency.

We would be eternally grateful for any and all assistance. Josh has been on long term disability since March 2021. It’s very hard for either of us to ask for help, especially financial help, but struggling doesn’t begin to cover it.

As his wife, I’ve been struggling to juggle Josh’s needs, our son’s needs, regular household duties, finances, and I’ve been back to work since the Wednesday after we got home from the hospital. We can’t afford for me to take the FMLA leave I have available to take.

I say all this because on January 22nd, we start on our next fight. 35 rounds of direct beam therapy, 7wks, Monday-Friday, 30min a day. The first few weeks we don’t expect too many adverse effects from the radiation but we are trying to brace ourselves since nothing about Josh’s condition has been close to normal.