My mom needs your support and prayers

Hi. My name is Mykel Stevens.

In the last 12 months, I've had to cremate my
father and a few weeks later, bury my best friend.

But today I’m writing in hope that you can help
my Mom. 

She has been courageously fighting lung cancer for the past two years, but she’s now been
hospitalized with a collapsed lung. 

On Sunday January 26, my Mom was working her job at Publix’s. She had to take a break because she couldn’t breath. Things didn't improve so she
headed home to rest, which was a challenge for
her because she had to walk all the way.

I didn't find out about what happened until late
that night and by the following morning there was no change so I took her to the ER at Jackson
Memorial Hospital. 

After a chest X-ray we were told she had a collapsed lung. 

Shorty afterwards, they surgically inserted a tube
through her breast into her lung. This was grueling as, it took two attempts before they got it right. 

Two days later, another X-ray revealed that the
tube had moved, so they had to remove and
reinserted it through her rib cage. 

I looked up why a collapsed lung happens. It's
when air enters the pleural space, the area
between the lung and the chest wall. If it is a total collapse, it is called pneumothorax. If only part of the lung is affected, it is called atelectasis. Causes of a collapsed lung include - Lung diseases such as pneumonia or lung cancer. 

For the past two years, my mom has undergone 
intense radiation and chemotherapy treatments
and immunotherapy. 

As if battling lung cancer isn't hard enough, mom
was doing all of this while trying to be of support
for my dad who was even sicker. His health was
rapidly declining from issues related to chemical
poisoning during his military service.

So now, on top of being stuck in a hospital all this
time, she’s extremly distressed and sad because
she had to miss her follow up PET scan to see
where she’s at in her cancer recovery. 

And...the most ironic, even craziest part of all this is that my late father was rushed to the ER at
Jackson Memorial Hospital exactly one year ago
from when I took my mom. 

Mom has been in two different wings of the hospital already. 

I've run into doctors, nurses and aids who remember us from last year and ask how my dad is doing. 

I have to tell them he died after being in the 
hospital for 11 weeks and now my mom is here. 

I’m an only child to an amazing mother that has
been loving and supportive all my life. 

All our family is in Philadelphia and all she has here is our dog Sammi & I.

So after losing my father all I want is to insure she’s taken care of. 

It pains me to say it, but I need help.

My resources are tapped. My heart is heavy and I don't know what else to do so I’m asking, please...if it is at all within your means, will you help me to raise the support I need to help my mom?

card from Publix’s coworkers 

card from Publix’s coworkers 

box of get well goodies from my moms sister 

holiday brunch at Primo’s


last family photo - Mike's At Venetia

celebrating their wedding anniversary at a
Marlins & Phillies game.... thank you Jennifer


my mom is in Jackson Memorial Hospital south
wing room 808

please leave a comment to help cheer her up

Thank you, Mykel Stevens