Hello my name is Fred Breen, I am humbly asking for help. I am 62 years old and stressed about my future! In April 2020, I was diagnosed with Stage IV Medulary Thyroid Cancer. I was admitted to John Hopkins for surgery and had to have a total neck dissection removing my thyroid and 48 lymph nodes. My surgery was said to be one of the most radical and complicated surgeries My Surgical Team has ever performed. My tumors wrapped around my jugular vein and my esophagus. My surgery lasted 10.5 hours, I flatlined twice during surgery and had to be intubated, during that process my lung was collapsed. I spent 5 days in ICU and because it was during the peak of Covid they were rushing to get me out of the Hospital. Two months after my surgery I had to undergo 30 straight days of radiation on my head, neck, and chest. My cancer spread to my lungs, liver, and pelvis, thus Stage IV. At 62 years old and getting closer to retirement age I am so stressed due to my financial situation. I have exhausted all my savings and credit cards to help cover my medical expenses. Due to Covid, my employer canceled my Insurance, and I am paying that out of pocket also. I have no pension or 401k offered to me at my job. I have permanent nerve damage, and I am in severe pain every day. I work 50-60 hours a week, on my feet all day to just get by paycheck to paycheck. I asked my Doctor what my prognosis is, he said he could not say, he does not want to play God. I have thought many times to just give up treatments and stop getting so far in debt, but my family and friends said don’t you dare, so I fight on. I can longer do any of the things I love, had to sell my boat to cover expenses, can’t go in the sun because of Chemo, and can’t travel since I am always going to John Hopkins for Scans and treatments. All I want to do is be able to pay off my credit cards and loans I have that have been used for medical bills. At 62 the stress of being in debt has got me scared that I can’t continue to do this. My Cancer never goes into remission, my treatments go on forever, and my bills keep coming in. I am asking for help just so my so called Golden Years are as stress free as possibly can.
My sincerest gratitude in advance,
Fred
Next Step: I have to have Surgery in June to reconstruct my vocal chords and remove some skin in my throat that is keeping me from swallowing and breathing correctly. Doctor said that the Radiation did alot of damage.
Thank you again in advance,
Fred