Ron Brackett - Family Support Fund
Donation protected
On Dec 2, 2015 my Step Dad, Ron was diagnosed with Bladder Cancer.
It was supposed to be a routine surgery to remove what was in his bladder. Instead the doctor came out to tell my mom he couldn't get it all in the time allowed because there was so much of it. A second surgery was needed and Ron would most likely loose his bladder. The doctor expected it to be high grade and deeply invasive. We were lucky after that first surgery. The test came back low grade and non-invasive.
The second surgery went well and even though those tests came back high grade and invasive the doctor felt he had removed it all from the bladder. But the Doctor was quick to tell that in his 30 years of practice & surgery, my stepdad's case was the worst case of bladder cancer he'd ever come across. His bladder was 80% filled with cancer. We were also told that this type of cancer almost always comes back.
It's 2 years later, and we are still fighting this. So far 1 ultrasound, 1 CAT scan, 3 surgeries, 18 treatments, 5 cystoscopies, & 5 checkups... and we're still not done.
May of 2017 they cleared Ron to 6 month checkups. But at his 6 month checkup in Nov. they found more cancer. It's in a bad place in the bladder and the doctor is also concerned that there is more in the wall of the bladder. Surgery #4 is Dec 18th. The doctor won't know how bad it really is until he gets into surgery and Ron could still loose his bladder if it is throughout the walls.
December 18th, 2017, the 4th surgery comes. Thankfully Ron is able to keep his bladder. By May, he had been cleared at follow-ups post surgery.
For the last 2 years Mom and Ron have struggled to keep up with the everyday bills and life. Ron has continued to work throughout all of this as he can. He only takes off the bare minimum that he can get away with. The surgeries are tough on his body. The treatments are like having the flu for several days. It all has required time off from his jobs and time off from my Mom's job too. My mom has been there every step of the way with him, and its been extremely hard. They have small boys, my youngest brothers. The boys have been angry and scared to loose their dad. They don't understand why it keeps coming. All of us adults, Myself, my Mom, and Ron try our best to keep life normal for everyone. It's often a struggle.
Unfortunately the bills that come with life keep coming as well as medical expenses. Both my Mom and Ron have emptied their 401k's till there is no more. Aflac policies have been used and are long gone. Only a few of the treatment visits have been able to have been financially covered, and hospital bills haven't even been touched because there isn't anything left to pay them with. They are lucky enough to still have insurance but there is always a bill left over. There is no where to pull any money from just to keep the house & utilites going. The bank has been looking to foreclose on the small home, that had been a dream for my mum to own when she had the opportunity to do so. Its not just a dream, and certainly not just a house. Its where my youngest brothers have grown up and made memories. Its where family laughter and tears have been shared. but now my parents are sinking, with what looks like no other options. My mom is strong, like the rest of our family and doesn't like asking for help, but she also knows when the time comes, sometimes you've gotta do what will be best, even if its difficult. Right now they need help.
A few months ago Ron started having pain in his leg that didn't go away. He went to his PCP on July 3rd. That started our journey to this moment in time. After a few tests we learned that his cancer was back and had spread. More tests and a biopsy later and we have answers. The answers were the worst of what any one would not want to hear. The cancer isn't curable.
Ron has maybe 6 months...Maybe.
There isn't anything that will change it. That is not to say that the fight wont be fought until the end. Ron and my Mom have talked. He wants to fight for as long as he's able. The plan is radiation for the tumor in his leg bone & chemo for his body. There will be Nurses, PT, OT, appointments and care. It will be hard and it will only prolong the time he has left at best. My family, as I've already seen in the last few days since all this news has come about, is and will continue to make the most of EVERY single day he is still here and will make memories. There will be laughter, as were all good at making the most of what we have. And there will be tears, over anything and everything. There will be good days & bad ones too. At the end of it all, those will be shared by family and friends who love Ron, My Mom, and my brothers dearly. Because of those people, its visible that there is more strength in them.
If there is something you can do to help, no matter how small, it is ALL appreciated from the bottom of our hearts and our family. On Behalf of Ron, Tracey, and The Boys, Thank you.
It was supposed to be a routine surgery to remove what was in his bladder. Instead the doctor came out to tell my mom he couldn't get it all in the time allowed because there was so much of it. A second surgery was needed and Ron would most likely loose his bladder. The doctor expected it to be high grade and deeply invasive. We were lucky after that first surgery. The test came back low grade and non-invasive.
The second surgery went well and even though those tests came back high grade and invasive the doctor felt he had removed it all from the bladder. But the Doctor was quick to tell that in his 30 years of practice & surgery, my stepdad's case was the worst case of bladder cancer he'd ever come across. His bladder was 80% filled with cancer. We were also told that this type of cancer almost always comes back.
It's 2 years later, and we are still fighting this. So far 1 ultrasound, 1 CAT scan, 3 surgeries, 18 treatments, 5 cystoscopies, & 5 checkups... and we're still not done.
May of 2017 they cleared Ron to 6 month checkups. But at his 6 month checkup in Nov. they found more cancer. It's in a bad place in the bladder and the doctor is also concerned that there is more in the wall of the bladder. Surgery #4 is Dec 18th. The doctor won't know how bad it really is until he gets into surgery and Ron could still loose his bladder if it is throughout the walls.
December 18th, 2017, the 4th surgery comes. Thankfully Ron is able to keep his bladder. By May, he had been cleared at follow-ups post surgery.
For the last 2 years Mom and Ron have struggled to keep up with the everyday bills and life. Ron has continued to work throughout all of this as he can. He only takes off the bare minimum that he can get away with. The surgeries are tough on his body. The treatments are like having the flu for several days. It all has required time off from his jobs and time off from my Mom's job too. My mom has been there every step of the way with him, and its been extremely hard. They have small boys, my youngest brothers. The boys have been angry and scared to loose their dad. They don't understand why it keeps coming. All of us adults, Myself, my Mom, and Ron try our best to keep life normal for everyone. It's often a struggle.
Unfortunately the bills that come with life keep coming as well as medical expenses. Both my Mom and Ron have emptied their 401k's till there is no more. Aflac policies have been used and are long gone. Only a few of the treatment visits have been able to have been financially covered, and hospital bills haven't even been touched because there isn't anything left to pay them with. They are lucky enough to still have insurance but there is always a bill left over. There is no where to pull any money from just to keep the house & utilites going. The bank has been looking to foreclose on the small home, that had been a dream for my mum to own when she had the opportunity to do so. Its not just a dream, and certainly not just a house. Its where my youngest brothers have grown up and made memories. Its where family laughter and tears have been shared. but now my parents are sinking, with what looks like no other options. My mom is strong, like the rest of our family and doesn't like asking for help, but she also knows when the time comes, sometimes you've gotta do what will be best, even if its difficult. Right now they need help.
A few months ago Ron started having pain in his leg that didn't go away. He went to his PCP on July 3rd. That started our journey to this moment in time. After a few tests we learned that his cancer was back and had spread. More tests and a biopsy later and we have answers. The answers were the worst of what any one would not want to hear. The cancer isn't curable.
Ron has maybe 6 months...Maybe.
There isn't anything that will change it. That is not to say that the fight wont be fought until the end. Ron and my Mom have talked. He wants to fight for as long as he's able. The plan is radiation for the tumor in his leg bone & chemo for his body. There will be Nurses, PT, OT, appointments and care. It will be hard and it will only prolong the time he has left at best. My family, as I've already seen in the last few days since all this news has come about, is and will continue to make the most of EVERY single day he is still here and will make memories. There will be laughter, as were all good at making the most of what we have. And there will be tears, over anything and everything. There will be good days & bad ones too. At the end of it all, those will be shared by family and friends who love Ron, My Mom, and my brothers dearly. Because of those people, its visible that there is more strength in them.
If there is something you can do to help, no matter how small, it is ALL appreciated from the bottom of our hearts and our family. On Behalf of Ron, Tracey, and The Boys, Thank you.
Organizer
Sam Lane
Organizer
Nashua, NH