Help Support Joe G through his Health Crisis
Donation protected
An old Yiddish saying tells us, "Man plans, and God laughs."
On August 3, Joe and I moved into a beautiful, brand new apartment in Asheville after our three-year road trip across the country. We were ready to settle down again in our favorite city and focus on getting all the beautiful photo artistry he created during our travels up for sale.
On August 10, we received devastating news. Joe was diagnosed with aggressive, late stage liver cancer. We were in shock. Tests taken in November 2019 and May 2020 showed him to be healthy and clear of disease. It was only in July that he began to feel tired and an unusual lack of appetite. So at the end of the month, Joe had some tests and an ultrasound taken. We didn’t think too much about it, assuming he was fatigued from all the activity surrounding the move.
After the diagnosis, Joe was referred to an oncologist who ordered additional scans and blood tests and submitted his case to a review board. The board recommended a 2-step targeted therapy of radiation to stop/slow the growth of the large tumor and immunotherapy, an invasive, ongoing systemic treatment with serious side effects and a good possibility of destroying his otherwise perfect health.
Joe chose to undergo the targeted therapy and went to the hospital for the first step of treatment on August 28. After a grueling, uncomfortable and painful day, the radiologist told us that complications prevented him from completing the procedure. He said he hoped to be able to repair the damage by repeating the procedure a second time. This meant Joe now had two more painful, uncomfortable treatments, but he decided to go ahead.
On September 10, the doctor repeated the procedure, but was unable to make the necessary repair or find another safe route to deliver the targeted dose of radiation to the damaged part of the liver. The possibility of leakage, or having the radiation spread to healthy areas of the liver, was too great to chance.
Returning to the oncologist on September 11, Joe was told that immunotherapy was his only other option. He chose instead to seek alternative treatment that could dispel the cancer by safer methods that bolstered his health, rather than weaken it. Thousands of individuals have refused conventional treatment and proven that the body can be healed in ways that medicines can't touch.
Joe is now working with a team of medical professionals and alternative protocols designed to improve his strength and ability to fight the disease.
Many of you have asked how you can help.
What Joe Needs from You:
1. Your emotional support by holding his vision of perfect health and thinking of him as you already know him: Strong, vibrant, creative, and full of life.
2. Your healing thoughts, prayers, love, and energy sent frequently.
3. Your financial support through contributions to this campaign.
The money will be used to pay:
• The mounting medical bills already incurred for services and procedures not covered by our Medicare Advantage Plan
• The ongoing therapies, nourishment, and supplements he needs to heal and relieve his pain
• Day-to-day living expenses and some comfortable furnishings and household items needed for Joe's care
Why We Need Your Help
We took a lease and obligated to 13 months of rent plus utilities with the expectation that we would have the income from his artwork and my editorial and consulting services to support us. However, Joe and I are spending 100 percent of our time focused on his daily needs and care. We are unable to devote time or energy to our professions at this time, and it's not clear when we can resume.
We came to this new apartment with very slim furnishings and household goods. For those of you who don't know, we had downsized to the bare basics before beginning our road trip. We expected to replace those items once moved in, but all our funds for that have been depleted by this health crisis.
We do not have any living room furniture or comfortable seating where Joe can rest outside of bed. We are also in need of several small kitchen appliances, safe cookware, and utensils that will greatly assist in his food preparation.
I hope you can understand our short- and long-term needs and help us. It's not an easy request for us to make. Please know that we return the caring and love to all of you.
Please return to this page or our Caring Bridge site for continued updates about this journey Joe and I are taking. We love you all and have already felt the healing love you've sent. Keep it up!
On August 3, Joe and I moved into a beautiful, brand new apartment in Asheville after our three-year road trip across the country. We were ready to settle down again in our favorite city and focus on getting all the beautiful photo artistry he created during our travels up for sale.
On August 10, we received devastating news. Joe was diagnosed with aggressive, late stage liver cancer. We were in shock. Tests taken in November 2019 and May 2020 showed him to be healthy and clear of disease. It was only in July that he began to feel tired and an unusual lack of appetite. So at the end of the month, Joe had some tests and an ultrasound taken. We didn’t think too much about it, assuming he was fatigued from all the activity surrounding the move.
After the diagnosis, Joe was referred to an oncologist who ordered additional scans and blood tests and submitted his case to a review board. The board recommended a 2-step targeted therapy of radiation to stop/slow the growth of the large tumor and immunotherapy, an invasive, ongoing systemic treatment with serious side effects and a good possibility of destroying his otherwise perfect health.
Joe chose to undergo the targeted therapy and went to the hospital for the first step of treatment on August 28. After a grueling, uncomfortable and painful day, the radiologist told us that complications prevented him from completing the procedure. He said he hoped to be able to repair the damage by repeating the procedure a second time. This meant Joe now had two more painful, uncomfortable treatments, but he decided to go ahead.
On September 10, the doctor repeated the procedure, but was unable to make the necessary repair or find another safe route to deliver the targeted dose of radiation to the damaged part of the liver. The possibility of leakage, or having the radiation spread to healthy areas of the liver, was too great to chance.
Returning to the oncologist on September 11, Joe was told that immunotherapy was his only other option. He chose instead to seek alternative treatment that could dispel the cancer by safer methods that bolstered his health, rather than weaken it. Thousands of individuals have refused conventional treatment and proven that the body can be healed in ways that medicines can't touch.
Joe is now working with a team of medical professionals and alternative protocols designed to improve his strength and ability to fight the disease.
Many of you have asked how you can help.
What Joe Needs from You:
1. Your emotional support by holding his vision of perfect health and thinking of him as you already know him: Strong, vibrant, creative, and full of life.
2. Your healing thoughts, prayers, love, and energy sent frequently.
3. Your financial support through contributions to this campaign.
The money will be used to pay:
• The mounting medical bills already incurred for services and procedures not covered by our Medicare Advantage Plan
• The ongoing therapies, nourishment, and supplements he needs to heal and relieve his pain
• Day-to-day living expenses and some comfortable furnishings and household items needed for Joe's care
Why We Need Your Help
We took a lease and obligated to 13 months of rent plus utilities with the expectation that we would have the income from his artwork and my editorial and consulting services to support us. However, Joe and I are spending 100 percent of our time focused on his daily needs and care. We are unable to devote time or energy to our professions at this time, and it's not clear when we can resume.
We came to this new apartment with very slim furnishings and household goods. For those of you who don't know, we had downsized to the bare basics before beginning our road trip. We expected to replace those items once moved in, but all our funds for that have been depleted by this health crisis.
We do not have any living room furniture or comfortable seating where Joe can rest outside of bed. We are also in need of several small kitchen appliances, safe cookware, and utensils that will greatly assist in his food preparation.
I hope you can understand our short- and long-term needs and help us. It's not an easy request for us to make. Please know that we return the caring and love to all of you.
Please return to this page or our Caring Bridge site for continued updates about this journey Joe and I are taking. We love you all and have already felt the healing love you've sent. Keep it up!
Organizer
Shelley Lieber
Organizer
Asheville, NC
