Aggressive Throat Cancer with no job no insurance
Donation protected
Yep, 2020 has been an absolute dumpster fire. I know it has effected a ton of people besides myself, but, at the end of the day, what has happened to me is the reason for this GoFundMe campaign.
On April 24, 2020, I lost my job thanks to COVID-19. I immediately applied for Reemployment Assistance through the state of Florida, but because their software system is such an abject failure and dumpster fire all unto itself, I did not start receiving my benefit checks until mid-June, 2020.
Because of this delay, I was unable to elect COBRA coverage, so I lost my healthcare plan.
As they say, when it rains...it pours.
June 23, 2020 I was diagnosed with aggressive throat cancer. The doctors wanted me to immediately start with both radiation and chemo, get a PET scan of my entire body as I have had two battles with colon cancer in the last three years, and said I will ultimately need surgery to remove the tumor.
Well, without a job and without health insurance, I've found that it's more than a bit difficult to get treated for cancer. The local hospital has a "charitable" arm - which I pursued to exhaustion - but being male, breathing and still young enough to be productive, there was no charity available for me to get treatment.
Where the tumor sits, I am unable to get a full night of sleep. If I roll over onto my left side, the tumor collapses my airway and I wake up gasping for air. Further, I need to be very careful when I eat or drink anything as it tends to go down the wrong "pipe" - I end up choking on most meals and have found myself limiting my diet more and more in an effort to prevent, or at the very least reduce, the choking. I can only talk for about five or six hours on any given day before my voice gives out, and I've almost completely lost the ability to sing - something that I have done for most of my life.
I'll tell you, though...my biggest fear is the proximity of this tumor to my brain. The doctors are already convinced that the cancer traveled from my colon to my throat using the lymphatic system which is why they want to do the PET scan. If that's the case, my brain is mere inches away from the tumor on my throat.
By delaying treatment, how much of a risk of this spreading to my brain am I taking?
Obviously, the doctors see the risk because they wanted me in treatment over two months ago. Apparently, the bean counters in the financial resources department at the local hospital couldn't care less and don't see any risk, except, God forbid, handing out any charitable funds to a male.
I'm asking for $5,000 which I know is just a drop in the bucket for what is on the horizon. However, that figure will at least get the PET scan completed for the doctors to have a better idea of the scope of this cancer, and, it will get me started on the chemo/radiation treatments.
I'm not going to lie, more money is going to be spent. I'm just hoping that the $5,000 I'm requesting will hold me over until I can get back to work full-time and then the accompanying benefits can take over the costs of treatment.
This is an immediate need. I have exhausted every other avenue known to be available to get treatment started. I want to be around for quite a while longer, and I'm going to need help in order for that to happen.
On April 24, 2020, I lost my job thanks to COVID-19. I immediately applied for Reemployment Assistance through the state of Florida, but because their software system is such an abject failure and dumpster fire all unto itself, I did not start receiving my benefit checks until mid-June, 2020.
Because of this delay, I was unable to elect COBRA coverage, so I lost my healthcare plan.
As they say, when it rains...it pours.
June 23, 2020 I was diagnosed with aggressive throat cancer. The doctors wanted me to immediately start with both radiation and chemo, get a PET scan of my entire body as I have had two battles with colon cancer in the last three years, and said I will ultimately need surgery to remove the tumor.
Well, without a job and without health insurance, I've found that it's more than a bit difficult to get treated for cancer. The local hospital has a "charitable" arm - which I pursued to exhaustion - but being male, breathing and still young enough to be productive, there was no charity available for me to get treatment.
Where the tumor sits, I am unable to get a full night of sleep. If I roll over onto my left side, the tumor collapses my airway and I wake up gasping for air. Further, I need to be very careful when I eat or drink anything as it tends to go down the wrong "pipe" - I end up choking on most meals and have found myself limiting my diet more and more in an effort to prevent, or at the very least reduce, the choking. I can only talk for about five or six hours on any given day before my voice gives out, and I've almost completely lost the ability to sing - something that I have done for most of my life.
I'll tell you, though...my biggest fear is the proximity of this tumor to my brain. The doctors are already convinced that the cancer traveled from my colon to my throat using the lymphatic system which is why they want to do the PET scan. If that's the case, my brain is mere inches away from the tumor on my throat.
By delaying treatment, how much of a risk of this spreading to my brain am I taking?
Obviously, the doctors see the risk because they wanted me in treatment over two months ago. Apparently, the bean counters in the financial resources department at the local hospital couldn't care less and don't see any risk, except, God forbid, handing out any charitable funds to a male.
I'm asking for $5,000 which I know is just a drop in the bucket for what is on the horizon. However, that figure will at least get the PET scan completed for the doctors to have a better idea of the scope of this cancer, and, it will get me started on the chemo/radiation treatments.
I'm not going to lie, more money is going to be spent. I'm just hoping that the $5,000 I'm requesting will hold me over until I can get back to work full-time and then the accompanying benefits can take over the costs of treatment.
This is an immediate need. I have exhausted every other avenue known to be available to get treatment started. I want to be around for quite a while longer, and I'm going to need help in order for that to happen.
Organizer
Ric Castagna
Organizer
Jacksonville, FL