Steve Lucas Terminal Bile Duct Cancer
Donation protected
My husband of 19 years, Steve was recently diagnosed with inoperable stage 4, metastatic bile duct cancer. He is only 42, and we have 2 amazing children ages 16, and 11. He was given a year, maybe 2 if lucky, but we are determined to beat this! I am lost and the crushing reality is really setting in. The last thing you want to worry about at a time like this is how you can stay afloat financially, but as our resources dwindle it is a another fear we must add as we try to fight this battle as hard as we can. I was hoping we would get social security to help bridge the gap since we no longer have much income, however, there is a waiting period and the payments will not start until the end of January and are half of what he was making when he was able to work. If you could also share this link, it would be appreciated immensely.
We are also so very blessed to have so many people in our lives who have reached out to help us through this devastating time in our lives. Our dearest friends are organizing a fundraiser that is sure to be a great time. Tickets are now available for purchase on the Facebook events page. You can also call Deanne for tickets at [phone redacted]. There was a misprint in the ad placed in the Messenger. The correct venue details are listed below.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1866322287010104/
“STEVEOPALOOZA”
FUNDRAISER EVENT
October 27th 2018
Blaine Hill Banquet Hall
402 Oxford Ave
Elizabeth, PA 15037
5PM-11PM
Our friends have arranged for a band, a DJ, dinner, desserts, Chinese Auctions, 50/50 and many other fun games and surprises. It is Halloween themed and costumes are optional. There will be a prize for best costume!
It's so hard to ask for help, but I don't know where to turn. We are fighting with the help of our loving family who is going through so much in every aspect. We need your support to get through this rare form of cancer in a dignified way. I am so grateful and thankful for your kind support at this difficult time. I am sharing Steve's story below to spread awareness. You never think this can happen to you at such a young age, and you really don't know how agonizing and real it is until it hits this close to home.
Feb 2018, extreme pain in stomach so severe we went to the Er. He also had very painful swollen lymph nodes. CT revealed nonalcoholic fatty liver lesions. Went for an endoscopy and told he has some Gerd, report back in 6 months June 8, 2018 Steve visits the Er again. For a couple of months he had been wearing Salonpas pain patches on his hip, stating it was just muscular, but we went to the Er because it was unbearable and he also had painful lymph nodes. Being we live in a drug seeker society, he was given X-rays showed nothing huge told it was inflammation sent home with Aleve prescription. 3 days later June 11th, our nightmare begins. Steve turned the wrong way and collapsed to the floor unable to get up. We once again go to the Er. I honestly thought we would be going home, but when the doctor came back in you could see it was not good by the look on her face. With no hesitation, she said he had cancer and must be admitted. He was in the hospital until June 15th. After a battery of tests we were told he has metastasis stage 4 cancer and has 1 maybe 2, years to live and that is if we are lucky and chemo works. With this cancer chemo sometimes does not help. Steve fell initially because he had a 5 cm tumor on his iliac (pelvic hip area bone) . The mass has destroyed the underlying bone. He also has masses on his spine other iliac bone, throughout his liver, and also a 10 cm tumor on his liver. Lymph nodes also affected. It took awhile to nail down the primary, and unfortunately it is a very rare cancer with only 2% survival rate after 5 years. It's also very uncommon in men this young. We are doing some alternatives that seem quite promising though, and seem to be working, but it is very costly. I am not sure how far we can go without help with this option. The Chemo and radiation are only to give him a year or 2, and to try to keep him comfortable. His only chance is doing the alternative treatments along with the chemo and radiation. He goes for an appointment next week to see about getting his chemo port, and will start chemo soon. My children are having a really hard time with the prognosis and in addition, I went from being there for them non stop, and whenever to being a full-time driver to appointments, and caregiver of my husband who can't do much anymore. Summer they looked forward to all year has been pretty non existent, and time is just flying by. Once they are back in school I just don't know how things will be. It's so hard on all of us. The last thing I need is to have our home taken away because we have to wait so long for social security disability to start. This is the only home my kids have known, and I just need to stay afloat until everything we are working on is in place. I will keep everyone updated and appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers.
We are also so very blessed to have so many people in our lives who have reached out to help us through this devastating time in our lives. Our dearest friends are organizing a fundraiser that is sure to be a great time. Tickets are now available for purchase on the Facebook events page. You can also call Deanne for tickets at [phone redacted]. There was a misprint in the ad placed in the Messenger. The correct venue details are listed below.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1866322287010104/
“STEVEOPALOOZA”
FUNDRAISER EVENT
October 27th 2018
Blaine Hill Banquet Hall
402 Oxford Ave
Elizabeth, PA 15037
5PM-11PM
Our friends have arranged for a band, a DJ, dinner, desserts, Chinese Auctions, 50/50 and many other fun games and surprises. It is Halloween themed and costumes are optional. There will be a prize for best costume!
It's so hard to ask for help, but I don't know where to turn. We are fighting with the help of our loving family who is going through so much in every aspect. We need your support to get through this rare form of cancer in a dignified way. I am so grateful and thankful for your kind support at this difficult time. I am sharing Steve's story below to spread awareness. You never think this can happen to you at such a young age, and you really don't know how agonizing and real it is until it hits this close to home.
Feb 2018, extreme pain in stomach so severe we went to the Er. He also had very painful swollen lymph nodes. CT revealed nonalcoholic fatty liver lesions. Went for an endoscopy and told he has some Gerd, report back in 6 months June 8, 2018 Steve visits the Er again. For a couple of months he had been wearing Salonpas pain patches on his hip, stating it was just muscular, but we went to the Er because it was unbearable and he also had painful lymph nodes. Being we live in a drug seeker society, he was given X-rays showed nothing huge told it was inflammation sent home with Aleve prescription. 3 days later June 11th, our nightmare begins. Steve turned the wrong way and collapsed to the floor unable to get up. We once again go to the Er. I honestly thought we would be going home, but when the doctor came back in you could see it was not good by the look on her face. With no hesitation, she said he had cancer and must be admitted. He was in the hospital until June 15th. After a battery of tests we were told he has metastasis stage 4 cancer and has 1 maybe 2, years to live and that is if we are lucky and chemo works. With this cancer chemo sometimes does not help. Steve fell initially because he had a 5 cm tumor on his iliac (pelvic hip area bone) . The mass has destroyed the underlying bone. He also has masses on his spine other iliac bone, throughout his liver, and also a 10 cm tumor on his liver. Lymph nodes also affected. It took awhile to nail down the primary, and unfortunately it is a very rare cancer with only 2% survival rate after 5 years. It's also very uncommon in men this young. We are doing some alternatives that seem quite promising though, and seem to be working, but it is very costly. I am not sure how far we can go without help with this option. The Chemo and radiation are only to give him a year or 2, and to try to keep him comfortable. His only chance is doing the alternative treatments along with the chemo and radiation. He goes for an appointment next week to see about getting his chemo port, and will start chemo soon. My children are having a really hard time with the prognosis and in addition, I went from being there for them non stop, and whenever to being a full-time driver to appointments, and caregiver of my husband who can't do much anymore. Summer they looked forward to all year has been pretty non existent, and time is just flying by. Once they are back in school I just don't know how things will be. It's so hard on all of us. The last thing I need is to have our home taken away because we have to wait so long for social security disability to start. This is the only home my kids have known, and I just need to stay afloat until everything we are working on is in place. I will keep everyone updated and appreciate all of the thoughts and prayers.
Organizer
Aubri Lucas
Organizer
Jefferson Hills, PA