Hello Fellow ARFcommers,

My name is Steve, and I've been a member here since 2012. My request to post this fundraiser here in GD was vetted and approved by Wilson, for which I am beyond thankful.

In October of 2022, at 45 years old, I was diagnosed with Stage 4 Colo-Rectal Cancer after experiencing some dull pains in my side for 2-3 weeks. My Cancer started on the right side of my body within my Large Intestine/Colon, and had spread to my Liver, Right Lung, and some Lymph Nodes. I started Chemo and Immunotherapy immediately, and within a few months and a few easily broken ribs (8 total), a Bone Scan showed that it had also metastasized to various bones throughout my body. I had to have spinal surgery a few weeks ago due to the Cancer in my L1 growing large enough to fracture the Vertebrae. At my diagnosis appointment, I was given 2 to 9 months to live WITH treatment, but I've managed to fight my way through it and stay alive. Things seemed to be staying somewhat stable, or slightly improving until my Bone and CT Scans 3 weeks ago. My Liver tumor has doubled in size, and the Bone Cancer showed to be spreading and growing in some spots (hence the fractured vertebrae). Since then I was taken off IV therapies and given some Chemo Pills, to which my Dr. said I might have 6-8 months left. To add insult to injury, my job terminated my employment with them back in December 2023, so the 'ol savings account is drying up pretty quick. I'm currently unable to work due to my condition.

The link below is to my GoFundMe fundraiser. It was written up by an old friend (Tim) of more than 30 years now. He knows everything about my situation, knows me very well, and asked if he could help me out by putting together a GFM page. He volunteered to do it because he knows I've never been one to ask for help. I've been like that all my life, but I'm learning... So, ARFcommers, I'm asking for your help if you're able. Any/All donations will be used for treatment, medical expenses, insurance, and the basic necessities: food, mortgage, etc.

https://gofund.me/9fe13c5a

Thanks for taking the time to read my post.

Much Love to All,
Steve


Update 4/18/24

Hello Everyone,
Just wanted to send a quick update since I haven’t replied to anyone in a few days, but I’ve got good reason. First, thanks to all that either donated, sent me well wishes or an IM, or simply just commented. The amount of support I’ve received in this short time has been amazing to say the least! Second, I gotta get busy on sending out my individual Thank You’s, so those are coming soon. Third, I haven’t been online because I’ve been in the hospital and not able to move much. The pain from my bone cancer has reached a level that I didn’t know was possible! The Human Body is truly an amazing thing… We found a combination of meds that  got me out of the hospital, and I’m back home now. I have to get an MRI next week to see if a tumor is pressing against a nerve or nerve bundle, so until then, it’s either the bed or the couch for me. I’ll update again when I have the MRI results.

Thanks again, everyone!!
Steve

Prayers up.

Look into Y-90 microsphere treatments for liver masses if it is an option for you.

Hit. Godspeed dude.

Donated.  Will pray for you.

I'm in.

I'm just starting my journey with cancer, but we're all in this together.

Done, God Bless you.

hit. give it hell. sounds like you are.

Done.  

Steve, have you applied for disability with Social Security?

Hit. Prayers and best wishes for you.

Hit, and a bump.

Thanks UXB! Radiation wasn’t an offered treatment for me due to my cancer being all over the place. They’d end up cooking me by the time they hit every spot. It was offered for treatment of bone pain only though, which I’ll be starting this week hopefully. I’ll mention the Y90 to the doc..

Best of luck to you sir.

My wife is now 40, she is recovering from colon cancer, I just had my colonoscopy last Friday and they grabbed a good sized polyp. buddy, my heart is going out to you, I’m pissed you’re going through this, especially at 45.

Hit

and also bump

Thank you!!

Ah, man. Sorry to hear about that! I’m not sure what you were diagnosed with, but I’m available if you need someone to talk to or have some questions I might be able to help with. IM me anytime!

Prayers sent

Thank you so much!!
Yes, my application is currently being investigated. My diagnosis qualifies me for their “compassionate allowance” which is supposed to speed up the processing time to 1-2 months instead of 8-10. But the last person I spoke with at SSA said applications like mine are taking 8-9 months these days. I’m not holding my breath for a quick turnaround time…

Steve

Thanks for your kind words! All my best to your wife, and I hope she ends up with a full recovery. I’m glad to hear you’re being pro-active by getting your recommended check ups. I do mine every year and have always had a clean bill of health. When I got diagnosed, they’d just dropped the age for colon screening from 50 to 45 due to more and more colon cancer being found at a younger age.

Steve

Donated- it just occurred to me the old ARF would show how many people were online at any given time (logged in). Usually 4-5K per evening.

5K x twenty bucks = $100,000... that's the potential power of numbers.. Godspeed Steve!

Done.

I was given 6 months more than 7 years ago and am 5 plus NED.

Don’t give up hope.

You’re in Texas, if you’re not at MD Anderson, make an appointment TOMORROW!

I went to MSK and received experimental liver cancer treatment. Ask if you are eligible for a Hepatic Artery Infusion treatment. I have no advice on the bone cancer as mine was confined to the colon (lost it) and the liver.

Reach out if you need to talk. Spent many nights crying into a pillow when I was talking to Ed Jr. or Fish223. Don’t fight this alone.

May God bless you.   I hope you can make peace with your predicament and God's plan.   Like so many others I've had a few cancers myself and the hardest toll is often on your family.  

My sincere best wishes and prayers for you and your family.   Make sure they all know what they mean to you.  

Prayers out.

Hit.

Prayers for you and a cure.

Hit. Keep up the fight.

Godspeed, OP.

ARFCOM contributed a good deal to Fatalwishes' family during his final trial, and they remain grateful.

Donated.  God bless you, Steve.

Tagged for payday

Prayers out to you, friend

Hopefully one less thing for you to worry about. I pray that you feel better and that you get the healing that you need. Prayers.

Hit.

Bump.

Keep up the fight.

Hit and a bump

Hit, will say a prayer for you Steve.

Hit.  Fuck cancer.  I hope Steve beats it.

Didn't notice you were in TX.  Yep, MD Anderson is as good as they come.  Lots of assistance to patients and families too.  If Steve's not their patient yet, maybe give them a call?

Hit, I wish you the best OP

Prayers to you brother.

Hit, bump! Prayers sent.

God bless - praying for you and donation inbound.  Keep up the fight and wishing you some semblance of peace and comfort through this.

CLICKED - God Bless sir and best of luck.  

Stage 4 is very much not a good place to be, and glad you are still alive.  MD Anderson can be good - but it's not your only option, so don't despair if that's not so easy - what part of Texas are you in?

And fuck cancer.  Definitely fuck Stage 4 cancer.

in for $50.  Fuck cancer.

Look into Ivermectin being used as a cancer treatment. No, really…. Apparently it’s a thing and there has been success in shrinking and eliminating tumors.

Excellent advice! Thanks for that. Yes, since all this started, I'm definitely in more frequent contact with my Mom and Sisters. I cherish our FaceTime calls and texts a bit more these days than I used to.

Hit. God bless OP. Miracles happen every day. You'll be in my family's prayers

GOD be merciful

Thank you! Yes, it's amazing the things that can happen when great people all pull together for a great cause. Although I'd never expect the amount of support that Jeff received, I will be forever grateful for any support I do receive, and have already received from this amazing community. I'll have to go back and re-read his entire thread now. It has been awhile. I do remember not being able to make it more than about 10 posts each time before the room got dusty.

Steve

Steve,

I'm sorry this is happening to you.  I highly recommend reading this book for anyone battling cancer (available on Amazon):

Cancer Self-Defense 101

It details a lot of diet, supplement and off-label drug strategies for anyone fighting cancer.  There is a ton of information in ot that is not common knowledge (like berberine, metformin, aspirin and ketogenic diets).

I wish you the best of luck.

Damn, that sounds rough for 45. No other symptoms for years?
Good luck with treatments.

Done and bump

Ivermectin is discussed in the book that I linked to, and mebendazole (another antiparasitic) in the video that I linked.

Thanks for the recommendation, gents. I did try to get an appointment on a couple of occasions at MDA. First was for treatment, second was to get a 2nd opinion on my treatment at the time. My employer at the time was a small family owned company that didn't offer Health Insurance. I've had a personal policy since I went to work for them, and it is an HMO with BCBSTX. The only way to get a PPO type policy in TX is through an employer. MDA doesn't accept HMO policies, so I'm out of luck with them. I did ask what the cash price would be for an Oncologist to review my files and provide a 2nd opinion, and I was quoted $16K.

I am familiar with the HAI pump/therapy and inquired about it. It's not an option for me, neither is radiation. Since my Cancer is in numerous places, and it's all Colon Cancer (even though it's in the Liver, Lungs, and Bones it's genetics show it is Colon Cancer) it makes no sense for them to treat just my Liver. Hell, they won't even surgically remove the original tumor in my Colon as it'll probably just pop up again. Best option is chemo and immuno that is targeted for Colon Cancer to try and clear it all out.