Aloha Friends of Mickey.

He has asked me to provide this narrative of the last few months so he can speak in the first person to all of you who have been so kind and supportive. His voice is compromised, for the time being, so, if you call him, he may be difficult to understand. Email is also useful but not sure if it will be allowed in this write-up. Check at bottom, please.

"To bring things up do date quickly and due to some vagaries of how GoFundMe handles updates, for now I'm more or less short circuiting much of what happened after the esoph' discovery.

After long time friend Dr. Dick Metzner discovered UCLA oncologist Zev Wainberg who then recommended radiation oncologist Anne Raldow, the decision was no surgery. Of course surgery is to be avoided on people my age, especially as radical as access to the esophagus. So, during November through late Jan I underwent 28 daily radiation treatments and 6 biweekly chemo's. Fortune smiled and I had relatively few side effects (e.g., no nausea). Happily, by mid-March the esophagus and lymph had shrunk by 50% or more.

But by late March a hoarseness I'd had for nearly a year had worsened to the point of making speaking almost impossible and swallowing even worse. On April 01 Wainberg put me into UCLA SM hospital. His people had reviewed the image from a brain scan I'd had in May 2023 which showed an occipital (back of my head) tumor. Unfortunately, in May 2023 the tumor had been overlooked (by the independent imaging lab).

A new scan on April 04 showed the tumor now 3X larger than the year before. It was impinging on a ganglion where seven cranial nerves meet, including those for voice and swallowing muscles. Wainberg's team set up 10 weekday radiation treatments for April 10-23 (culminating in a charming ceremony: ringing a brass bell and receiving a hand lettered award certificate!). Meanwhile, they inserted a feeding tube into my stomach.

With feeding tube in place and radiation done, I was moved on Apr24 moved to skilled nursing facility near UCLA SM hospital to await reduced tumor pressure on ganglion and hopefully return of nerve function. Here at the SNF it's physical therapy and getting meds and the liquid "food." I haven't had anything else for two months. The joys of Haagen Daz remain a mirage.

Thanks in advance for good wishes and contributions.

Mickey

310-766-5208 (still can't really talk but am a capable listener)

mkrieger239_at_earthlink.net (replace _at_ with the usual)

Previous below ==============================================================================

Hello Donors and Friends,

For those new to this Go Fund Me for Mickey Krieger, I'm John Helly a decades-long friend of his. I describe myself more fully in the earlier GoFundMe write-up below for bonafides. In response to an additional list of potential donors suggested by another friend, Mickey and I thought it appropriate to send this request to all of us.

As I say in the original GoFundMe write-up below, when I learned of him being hit with esophageal cancer just as the pandemic ended, thereby limiting his ability to work through its financial squeeze, I decided to start a GoFundMe to help him through the months of treatment without income.

Talking to Mickey recently, I learned that the course of treatment would last well into February related to staffing problems at the treatment center; longer than expected. For that reason, and to provide some quietude for Mickey to recover, I just raised the GoFundMe goal.

Happily, heʻs doing well and buoyed by the support of his friends. After 28 daily radiation treatments and four of six biweekly chemo infusions, Mickey hasn't been plagued with the worst of the familiar side effects. Still he's quite weak and has been generously helped with necessities and transportation by long time friend Bruce Rothschild.

So as I said in the original GoFundMe, if Mickey has been a source of help, amusement or just a willing ear, any contribution would be much appreciated. Even a small gesture is encouraging in a difficult time. And by all means feel free to write to him directly. GoFundMe has link to contact him as they will not allow email addresses in this content.

Thanks for considering our dear friend.

John

***** Prior Write-up Below ********************************************

Greetings

For those who don't know me, I'm John Helly, a friend and colleague of Michael Krieger; known to many as Mickey. I'm a research scientist at Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Emeritus Laboratory Director for Earth and Environmental Science at the San Diego Supercomputer Center. Mickey and I go back decades including everything from our first meeting at UCLA to Computer and Law conference organizing to competitive swimming at the UCLA Rec Center.

This Go Fund Me is my attempt to help him out of a desperate financial situation exacerbated by being diagnosed in August with esophageal cancer. Ironically, this was discovered only at the last step before treatment for prostate cancer. In particular a PETCT scan to be sure the prostate cancer hadn't metastasized revealed a four inch tumor of the lower esophagus (fortunately not involving its connection to the stomach). Needless to say, the prostate treatment was put on hold as that cancer, which had been under "watchful waiting" since late 2021 is slow growing.

Mickey's already started daily radiation and chemotherapy and is progressing well though only time will tell how well he does with further scheduled treatment. Needless to say, treatment and ancillary medical activity seriously inhibits his ability to generate income to take care of ongoing expenses, most critically insurance, utilities, condo fees, property tax, and all the rest. All this follows almost three years of the Covid pandemic which turned off much of the business from his long time clients and pretty well depleted his savings.

So against that background, I'm hoping that among the many people who know Mickey, some who have benefited from his freely given advice, enjoyed his sense of humor, or welcomed his willingness to simply listen to your situation, will contribute to the fund for him.

I've chosen $6000 as a goal to bridge him through his immediate expenses and the next two months. This assumes treatment goes well, and especially that he doesn't need assisted living. Your donation goes directly into Mickey's checking less 2.9% + $0.30 including debit and credit charges per donation. He has an immediate need for support for this monthʻs expenses.

So, if you can help with this burden, you have my heartfelt thanks and the knowledge that you're helping a very kind and generous friend through a very difficult time.

Sincerely.

John