Healing from cancer surgery & need help.
Donation protected
A light introduction for those of you who may not know me already: My name is Joshua, and I am a musician and Millwright/welder. I make the majority of my living by traveling the US and Europe as the one man band - Acousta Noir. I also work as a traveling Millwright and welder when I’m not out on the road playing music. This lifestyle has been my main means of survival for the last 6 years, and his I have become known to many as the continuous traveler.
I was diagnosed with Throat Cancer in late July, and began undergoing surgical treatments to remove the primary tumor in my mouth and throat, as well as the lymph nodes that it had spread to in the side of my neck.
My first surgery was to remove my tonsils on August 14, and my second surgery (which was far more severe) was on September 12. Because of these procedures, and all the appointments leading up to them, I have been unable to work or perform since August 12.
In light of the most recent surgery I received to remove the cancer from my throat (including part of my tongue being removed), as well as from the side of my neck (almost 50 lymph nodes taken out, 17 of which tested positive for cancer), my timeline for recovery has been extended by quite a bit.
I was hoping to be able to get back to work by late October, but it has become clear that I won’t be able to return to any substantial type of work for several months. The surgery has left my speech greatly impaired, and has also left me with some nerve damage in my neck and face. The doctors say that these issues should improve over the next 6 to 12 months, but some numbness and weakness will likely remain permanently.
It’s been over a week now, and I’m still being “fed” through a feeding tube. This may be the case for up to a month.
Needless to say, this is going to be a long hard road to get down before I can get back out on the road that I am meant to be rolling down.
This is where I have to swallow my pride, and ask for help. I was really hoping that I wouldn’t have to do this, but I only have enough money to keep rent and the other essential bills paid through the month of October. After that, I’m broke and a little useless. I don’t know how best to go about it, and I’m open to suggestions, but this is my humble approach to you all out there asking you to please help me in this time of need, if you are willing and able.
Thank you.
Much love and respect, your friend and frustratingly stationary traveling man,
Joshua James Esterline -
Acousta Noir
I was diagnosed with Throat Cancer in late July, and began undergoing surgical treatments to remove the primary tumor in my mouth and throat, as well as the lymph nodes that it had spread to in the side of my neck.
My first surgery was to remove my tonsils on August 14, and my second surgery (which was far more severe) was on September 12. Because of these procedures, and all the appointments leading up to them, I have been unable to work or perform since August 12.
In light of the most recent surgery I received to remove the cancer from my throat (including part of my tongue being removed), as well as from the side of my neck (almost 50 lymph nodes taken out, 17 of which tested positive for cancer), my timeline for recovery has been extended by quite a bit.
I was hoping to be able to get back to work by late October, but it has become clear that I won’t be able to return to any substantial type of work for several months. The surgery has left my speech greatly impaired, and has also left me with some nerve damage in my neck and face. The doctors say that these issues should improve over the next 6 to 12 months, but some numbness and weakness will likely remain permanently.
It’s been over a week now, and I’m still being “fed” through a feeding tube. This may be the case for up to a month.
Needless to say, this is going to be a long hard road to get down before I can get back out on the road that I am meant to be rolling down.
This is where I have to swallow my pride, and ask for help. I was really hoping that I wouldn’t have to do this, but I only have enough money to keep rent and the other essential bills paid through the month of October. After that, I’m broke and a little useless. I don’t know how best to go about it, and I’m open to suggestions, but this is my humble approach to you all out there asking you to please help me in this time of need, if you are willing and able.
Thank you.
Much love and respect, your friend and frustratingly stationary traveling man,
Joshua James Esterline -
Acousta Noir
Organizer
Joshua James Esterline
Organizer
Roseburg, OR
