Cancer Won't Beat Me, Please Help
Donation protected
In August 19th a team of surgeons removed a large tumor from my perotyd gland. Adenoid cystic carcinoma, a rare cancer that only affects about 10,000 people in the US. They had to saw open my jaw and remove the gland before reconstructing muscle and tissue. They used tissue from my thigh to reconstruct my face. It was an aggressive tumor that was spreading up from my jaw towards the back of my skull. It had sent off web like tendrils to invade what it could find. Luckily it had moved around the outside of my skull and had not gotten to my brain. They called in another specialist during the surgery to get those tendrils. They believe they got them all.
Dr. Raymond Chai is top of his field and I have confidence.
I'm still very swollen but I see more definition every day. The scar will be long though I don't care, I'll look like I survived some sort of ninja assassination attempt on my neck. The right side of my face has feeling but does not respond when I smile, raise eyebrows, etc. this is all to be expected, and temporary.
I begin radiation and chemotherapy in about a week. 5 days a week for 2-5 hours daily for 6 weeks.
The chemotherapy is considered elective but it changes the likelyhood of recurrence from about 60% to 20%. I like those numbers. I am 40 years old and I'm not done yet.
Insurance won't cover all of it and the bills are stacking up. We also need to move as our building is not legal and there are weekly calls to the police for trespassers and other violations. I also need an elevator.
Covering hospital bills and the move is not possible as I have not been working in months and no longer receive compensation due to this new diagnosis.
Any little bit helps. I am forever grateful!
Dr. Raymond Chai is top of his field and I have confidence.
I'm still very swollen but I see more definition every day. The scar will be long though I don't care, I'll look like I survived some sort of ninja assassination attempt on my neck. The right side of my face has feeling but does not respond when I smile, raise eyebrows, etc. this is all to be expected, and temporary.
I begin radiation and chemotherapy in about a week. 5 days a week for 2-5 hours daily for 6 weeks.
The chemotherapy is considered elective but it changes the likelyhood of recurrence from about 60% to 20%. I like those numbers. I am 40 years old and I'm not done yet.
Insurance won't cover all of it and the bills are stacking up. We also need to move as our building is not legal and there are weekly calls to the police for trespassers and other violations. I also need an elevator.
Covering hospital bills and the move is not possible as I have not been working in months and no longer receive compensation due to this new diagnosis.
Any little bit helps. I am forever grateful!
Organizer
Molly Lilly
Organizer
Brooklyn, NY