Sean's Medical Costs

My son Sean has been diagnosed with his cancer.  Here's his story in his words.

"OnTuesday October 11, I woke up and dressed for work. I felt miserable as I had for the previous 6 months.  I had a primary care physician appointment scheduled for October 24th, but I couldn't handle feeling like I did for another 2 weeks.  I went to the ER at Broward General Hospital.  

The doctor looked at the side of the my neck, and read the paper list of symptoms I have. He ran his hand over my neck, and quickly felt the lump on the right side. He asked the charge nurse to order a chest X-ray, and Chest CT scan ASAP and to have me registered and placed in a room.  I had the chest X-ray completed in half-hour and Dr. Russnioff walked in, sat down and said he felt it was Lymphoma. He said he wouldn't know more clearly until the CT Scan was done. He walked out and I broke down for a moment. For 2 minutes or so I cried, not because I was just told I had cancer, or because I was scared for me, I was scared of the unknown, I was scared for my wife Tiffany, my son John, and my unborn son due in January. Then I wiped away the tears and remember saying out loud "Game on Cancer".

The CT scan of the chest and neck indicated wide spread lymphoma on both sides of my chest. Two main tumors attached to nodes. The largest is 3 in x 3 in on the right hand side of my neck close to the base. This tumor is pressing against one of the main arteries into the brain. It is this tumor which when I cough was causing the massive dizzy spells. The second tumor is 2.5 in x 2.5 in and it is resting very close to the Superior Vena Cava. This tumor is causing the shortness of breathe at times and some chest pain.

I was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma Stage IIIA.

I have had 4 rounds of treatment and I'm determined to beat this.  It's getting tougher and tougher each time.  After my 3rd treatment I spent 4 days feeling like shit, nausea that is so bad you don't want to get out of bed, the smell of food, my wife's perfume makes me sick. Nausea so bad that watching TV or playing Xbox One makes me sick. Then came treatment number 4, I threw up after that one, multiple times. Everything I drink down to water has a funny after taste, to the point that I avoid drinking unless I force myself to, otherwise I would get dehydrated and then have to go to hospital at which point I would be stick with another needle and given I-V fluid. If that wasn't bad enough there is the combination of constipation one day and diaherra the next. That was just the first two days, the effects of round 4 lasted 6 days, not 4. There are only 7 days In a week, so I get to feel like dead man walking for 6 days straight only to know that within 7 days I get to start that vicious cycle all over again.

I have tried to keep working through this and on my good weeks manage to get into the office, and even on my bad days I work from home.  I'm not sure how long I can keep working, and I'm starting to worry about finances especially with a new baby on the way.


My family has a sordid history with this disease as many families do. Fifteen years ago, I lost my Dad to cancer. I sat by him and watched the monster inside him eat away at the man who gave me my love of history, took me to Fenway and I drove cross country with. His determination to live for his three children and come home from California to Massachusetts showed me just how strong and loving he was. He dug down deep and got home to give us the memories we will never forget. I know he watches over us and his three (soon to be 4) grandchildren who he never knew.



To honor his memory we named our first son John after him. At age 4, he is at the age where he understands more than maybe we would like. He sees my weariness and the moments when I can’t find the energy to keep up. It makes this battle harder in many ways. I hate to disappointment him.

Among with the difficulty of chemo, work, and chasing an energetic 4 year old I have little left to help my now 8 months pregnant wife Tiffany. After working a job that keeps her on her feet all day, she picks up John when I don't feel well enough to and has to deal with the chaos of dinner, bedtime and getting ready for the next day - often with little to no help from me. I do what I can but often the fatigue and nausea is too much. She has put on a brave face throughout and when I have moments of darkness she stands by hoping the light will come back and I will find a good day the next morning.

Living in Florida away from our biological families means we have little additional support. This does not mean our extended friends and family haven't helped and been a blessing in those moments of need. We couldn't make things as normal as possible for John or take the pressure off Tiffany without them. We are grateful for their ongoing support."

Any funds raised will go to covering Sean's medical expenses (for example, Emend, the anti-nausea medicine I've been prescribed costs $253 for 6 pills and that only covers two CHEMO treatments) and living expenses.

You can follow Sean's journey here on his CaringBridge.