A GoFundMe Request

I’ve started up a GoFundMe page to help with my medical expenses - here is the link:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-request-for-assistance-in-healing

I’ll simply reproduce here what I wrote on that page:

“As many of my friends know, I’ve been dealing with a host of health issues these last few years. In addition to a large spinal tumor requiring major surgery (the after-effects of which I still deal with every day), I’ve contended with two different cancers; one of them (bile duct, aka “billiary”) was successfully treated via chemo and an operation called the Whipple procedure.

But the other one - prostate cancer - has not gone away, and now seems to be spreading. My doctors are concerned about it entering my bones and lymph nodes. Though I’ve fiercely resisted radiation until now, that seems an option worth trying at this point, involving a projected 28 sessions starting in July, once I’ve finished the 30 days of preliminary medications I started recently.

My insurance covers some of this, but there is a mountain of expenses it doesn’t, including an assortment of alternative methods, travel expenses, and still other factors. I’m doing my best to keep up with it all, but it’s been extremely challenging.

As a result I’m asking for whatever support you feel comfortable providing. The target figure listed here is the baseline amount I calculate will be necessary, but please know that any amount whatsoever you’re able to contribute would be greatly appreciated. I’ve always done my writing and teaching as a labor of love, so if you feel you’ve benefitted in any way from any of those efforts, I hope you’ll consider helping out. And if nothing else, positive thoughts and prayers are appreciated, too. My deepest thanks in advance.”

(Postscript: I genuinely know people have the best of intentions, but I would kindly ask that people refrain from pitching suggestions about possible treatments and cures. I’ve looked into more of those than you can possibly imagine at this point, and am actually pursuing a number of them in addition to the mainstream approaches. As a result, I hope you’ll respect my choices in this regard - thank you, sincerely.)

Blessings,

Ray