Michael's Medical Fund
Donation protected
Hi, my name is Michael I turned 55 years-old February 20, 2017. I need help and advice. I am a single man, never married no children. I always have a dog for a companion. Early last September I developed a sore under my tongue and didn't think much of it at first. After a couple of weeks it grew alot so, I decided to go to the VA Hospital for treatment. I graduated high shool in a small town in Texas in 1980, and joined the Navy and served 3 years at sea on aircraft carrier USS Independence. I have never had regular health insurance due to me being an independent contractor, and had never been seriously sick before.......anyway....the VA turned me away and said they couldn't treat me.
I called my two sisters and father and told them about my situation. They came down and got me admitted into Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Temple, TX. After several biopsies and scans they determined I had Squamous Cell Carcinoma in my tongue and a tumor in throat. ENT doctor wanted me to get 2 rounds of Chemo then surgery to remove my turmors then after surgery, fllow up with Chemo and Radiation for 6 weeks, but not to worry this cancer is very treatable if it hasn't spread to the organs. I was told the scans showed I only had it on the floor of my mouth and the right side of my neck so not to worry.
They first surgery was December 22, 2016. This surgery took 18 hours to complete and they took muscle and grafts from my right thigh. They took out all my teeth and split my chin down the middle reworked the floor of my mouth and reconstructed all the nerves and muscles in my neck.
They had to put a flap on the bottom of my mouth and remove 1/2 my toungue. I was in ICU for 5 days before they determined the skin graft didn't take. As you can see in the pictures below the skin graft turned very dark.
The doctors decided to take me back to surgery and perform a more common procedure for the skin graft. They took my right pectoral muscle and pulled it up into my mouth to make the floor flap. This time is worked.
So after 3 weeks of being in the hospital I was finally sent home to heal then come back for one more skin graft. All was okay and I was on the road to recovery and waiting for my radiation treatment for the final phase of my treatment. Not even a week before I was to start radiation I developed a cough and difficulty breathing. I drove myself back to the ER in temple again.
After a CAT scan they discovered a large blockage in my throat and more turmors as well as spots on my lungs. They took me to surgery to and put in a trachea so I could breathe and told me I have some rare pneumonia. It took them several different antibiotics to finally find the right one to treat the pneumonia. So, bottom line now is everything has changed and the doctors say the cancer is too aggressive to treat and I may only have weeks to months to live. The goal now is to get me home asap and get me into immunothearapy. As you can see my world was turned upside down with one scan. I'm 55 year old man scared to death now not knowing what tomorrow will bring.
I'm leaving the hospital today March 6, 2017 after almost two weeks and the doctor's are trying to get me scheduled for Immunotherapy as soon as possible. I have a lot of fight left in me and I'm going to fight with all my might to get rid of this cancer.
I have never asked for help like this before. I have always worked for everything only days I miss at work are holidays. I need help for common reason sick people need help I guess, medical bills, rent, food, transportation, and dentures since they took all my teeth out.
A friend asked me something I have never even thought about the other day. She asked me what was on my bucket list Lol how does a poor person have a bucket list, I don't know the answer to that yet. I guess all I would like to do before meeting our lord Jesus Christ is take a cruise to Alaska and see the sites, and do some fishing while I'm there. Sound like fun to me!
My friends and family have helped me stay positive and as of yesterday you can see I'm feeling great.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and any donation amount will help.
I will keep you updated on my journey with Immunotherapy.
I called my two sisters and father and told them about my situation. They came down and got me admitted into Baylor Scott & White Hospital in Temple, TX. After several biopsies and scans they determined I had Squamous Cell Carcinoma in my tongue and a tumor in throat. ENT doctor wanted me to get 2 rounds of Chemo then surgery to remove my turmors then after surgery, fllow up with Chemo and Radiation for 6 weeks, but not to worry this cancer is very treatable if it hasn't spread to the organs. I was told the scans showed I only had it on the floor of my mouth and the right side of my neck so not to worry.
They first surgery was December 22, 2016. This surgery took 18 hours to complete and they took muscle and grafts from my right thigh. They took out all my teeth and split my chin down the middle reworked the floor of my mouth and reconstructed all the nerves and muscles in my neck.
They had to put a flap on the bottom of my mouth and remove 1/2 my toungue. I was in ICU for 5 days before they determined the skin graft didn't take. As you can see in the pictures below the skin graft turned very dark.
The doctors decided to take me back to surgery and perform a more common procedure for the skin graft. They took my right pectoral muscle and pulled it up into my mouth to make the floor flap. This time is worked.
So after 3 weeks of being in the hospital I was finally sent home to heal then come back for one more skin graft. All was okay and I was on the road to recovery and waiting for my radiation treatment for the final phase of my treatment. Not even a week before I was to start radiation I developed a cough and difficulty breathing. I drove myself back to the ER in temple again.
After a CAT scan they discovered a large blockage in my throat and more turmors as well as spots on my lungs. They took me to surgery to and put in a trachea so I could breathe and told me I have some rare pneumonia. It took them several different antibiotics to finally find the right one to treat the pneumonia. So, bottom line now is everything has changed and the doctors say the cancer is too aggressive to treat and I may only have weeks to months to live. The goal now is to get me home asap and get me into immunothearapy. As you can see my world was turned upside down with one scan. I'm 55 year old man scared to death now not knowing what tomorrow will bring.
I'm leaving the hospital today March 6, 2017 after almost two weeks and the doctor's are trying to get me scheduled for Immunotherapy as soon as possible. I have a lot of fight left in me and I'm going to fight with all my might to get rid of this cancer.
I have never asked for help like this before. I have always worked for everything only days I miss at work are holidays. I need help for common reason sick people need help I guess, medical bills, rent, food, transportation, and dentures since they took all my teeth out.
A friend asked me something I have never even thought about the other day. She asked me what was on my bucket list Lol how does a poor person have a bucket list, I don't know the answer to that yet. I guess all I would like to do before meeting our lord Jesus Christ is take a cruise to Alaska and see the sites, and do some fishing while I'm there. Sound like fun to me!
My friends and family have helped me stay positive and as of yesterday you can see I'm feeling great.
Thank you for taking the time to read my story and any donation amount will help.
I will keep you updated on my journey with Immunotherapy.
Organizer
Michael Jeffers
Organizer
Belton, TX