My name is Terry. I'm a 64-year-old insurance salesman, father, grandfather, and dedicated church volunteer. About a year ago, as I was preparing for another medical procedure, the doctors discovered a lump below my right ear. I was in relatively good health: I am very mindful of my diet, I do not smoke or drink, and so it was an enormous shock when the doctors told me that I have squamous cell carcinoma: cancer. My wife and I were devastated. We are empty nesters who are just beginning to approach retirement age, and looking forward to spending time with our children and grandchildren when this bombshell hit us. As we began the long process of looking into treatment options, the gravity of the situation was becoming clear. Three doctors we consulted stated that it would be too dangerous to remove the lump before a rigorous course of radiation and chemotherapy over several months. We weighed our situation and decided that the side effects of radiation and chemo over the long term were simply too devastating. My work is entirely commission based, and requires a lot of face-to-face work. Radiation and chemo, in addition to the damage to organs, loss of taste and smell, and possible blindness, would likely result in damage to my vocal cords. Beyond that, there was a high chance that the treatment would involve the calcification of my jawbone and teeth, so that weeks of surgery and recovery would be necessary before I could regain any ability to communicate with my clients and family. The inability to communicate would guarantee that we would lose our income, so we decided to explore alternative and experimental treatments.On top of these tough choices, my employer could not provide health insurance for us. With our limited income, we could have health insurance or eat. We looked into several options, but even with the insurance we have now, these alternative treatments are not covered. The expense is simply beyond our means. So far we have paid $70,000 toward the treatment, and have even taken a second mortgage on the house so that we can continue with the treatments we've chosen. I never imagined that this kind of thing would happen to me. We expected the next few years to go so differently. We have five grown children, who have given us 17 grandchildren so far (with another 2 on the way). Now, I do not expect to have decades left to see those grandchildren grow up, but for the time I do have, I want to make sure that I can be close to them, and mean something to them. I want them to remember me how I am - healthy and vibrant, even with a lump in my neck, rather than withered and frail as the radiation and chemo would likely leave me. As I continue on with the treatments, I am reaching out to the public as a last resort. I believe in doing all you can before asking from others, and unfortunately the cost of these treatments is simply overwhelming. We are looking for a miracle now. Please help if you can, and may God bless you for your generosity and humanity. I promise that I will pay your kindness forward to my grandchildren and everyone I meet.
Artículos relacionados
