Help for the nurse, now the patient

This is Pythias Tomon. He is only 46 years old and lives in Zion, Illinois, along with his loving wife Marites and four children, ranging in age from 5 to 16. Before he became terminally ill, he was a nurse at the local VA Hospital, helping veterans and their families in their struggles, caring for them the best he could with the hope they recover and become healthy again. He never backed down from the challenges of helping others, even in times of pain he endured. Unfortunately for Pythias, he is now on the other side - as the patient, with the odds stacked against him. It all began in April of 2022 – a mere six months ago, with the need to have both hip replacements – after developing avascular necrosis. This, in simple terms, is bone tissue dying due to a lack of blood supply. A month after his surgery, an infection set in, prompting the need for additional scans and workups. During one of the scans, a mass was detected in his liver. It was mid-June when he was diagnosed with malignant neoplasm of the liver, a form of liver cancer, and ever since then, things have gradually declined. Since initially learning of his condition, he has continued to slowly become increasingly ill, without any sign of improvement. In early September, the doctors announced there was nothing more they could do. Most recently, he has been moved to hospice as his final days are slowly becoming a reality. His wife, Marites, is a newly hired nurse at the hospital where he is being treated. Due to her low tenure, she has exhausted her paid leave and now all time spent caring for him, maintaining the home, their children, their life activities, and so on are unpaid, leaving them with no income. Since becoming ill, he has not been able to work, relying solely on his wife; physically, financially, emotionally, and spiritually. Pythias’ mounting bills, including the periodic statements not involving him, are piling up, putting their entire family in dire straits.

My wife, Fides, works with Marites, and we hope to raise funds to give them some relief for medical bills and everything else a family of 6 endures daily throughout this tragic time of their lives.