Wallen Strong Cancer Survival

FIRST THE RULES:  

1. Who you are and where you are from: Randy and Karen Wallen and we live in Cape Coral, Florida.

2. Your relationship to the parties you're raising funds for: Wife, caregiver, BFF

3. Your plan to send the funds to the intended recipients, and their names: Karen and Randy Wallen 

4. How the funds will be spent (be specific as possible): Paying medical bills, past due bills, living expenses due to limited health insurance and depleted savings.

We come to you as humbly as we can be.  This has been one of the hardest decisions for us to make because personally we are a givers, helpers, comforters, not the receivers of someone else’s goodwill.  I’ve (Karen) asked three (3) people in my life for help and without hesitation they were there.  I always took care of people personally and professionally since 1988 and tried to reciprocate "the pay back".  Randy has never asked for help from anyone.  We’ve had the pleasure of letting them take care of us now.

As most of you know Randy has been recently diagnosed with Adenocarcinoma in his lymph nodes following lung cancer surgery which was removed (PRAISE THE LORD) but we now face another one of life’s challenges.  Cancer Survival.

Since we bought our home in 2017 we have been faced with so many challenges and health conditions  ie: we bought our new home, Randy broke his shoulder one (1) hour into our move-in, shoulder surgery that delayed his Ticket to Work program for 5 months and then after getting his best job ever he got furloughed from COVID-19 and the shop has never recovered.  I developed a new case of A-fib from what I assume was anxiety from him being swarmed by Africanized killer bees three (3) days before surgery.  I am working closer to home with a lateral move of employment with a hefty pay cut but closer to home and, thank goodness, Randy and his appointments.  I’m looking into being a Home health caregiver and need classes so I can hopefully work weekends (GRANNY NANNIES! IT'S FOR REAL HERE in Florida).

I will not deny the struggle is real and we have robbed Peter to pay Paul, borrowed and paid back as fast as we could but now since he was diagnosed with small cell lung cancer Stage 3 our funds and savings have depleted to almost nothing.  There is never any extra for “us” or savings.

Today we are looking to pay a water bill, that Cape Coral government wants to disconnect, a possible repossession of his truck because we are two weeks late, he and I both need medication and we still have bills from the shoulder injury and just life together.  His co-pays on CT, PETSCANS, studies, biopsies, and surgery we haven’t seen yet.  We now have a brain scan, port placement, B-12 shots, and chemotherapy scheduled. 

None of this was on our horizon of living happily ever after on February 22nd when we got married!

Trust me when I say we have cut back everything to save on expenses.  I’m here to tell you Dollar Tree has really good household and food options and they aren’t bad!!  We have scrimped, saved, declined many invitations with family and friends.  We have cancelled trips and appointments because of COVID and financial difficulties too embarrassed to share.  We stay home and make happiness by our pool!  Gas is used for to and from work.

We’re asking for your help.  Just a little bit.  We are going to bounce back stronger than ever and we will make you proud to be our friends as we promise to reciprocate in ways for all of you giving a helping hand or not.

Please, please share because every little bit helps……..