My son is 34 y/o, and single. He is  a construction worker. He has Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance. Almost 2 years ago, we noticed a mole on the back of his neck. Every time he touched it, it would bleed. His doctor referred him to a dermatologist. The mole was removed in the office. Path report came back melanoma. Referred to oncologist. Oncologist ordered work and scans. Referred to surgeon. The surgeon took him to surgery and did a large wedge resection on the area where the mole was to make sure margins were clean.  All scans, xrays, blood work was negative. He followed up with his oncologist every 6 months as ordered. The end of 2013, noticed a knot in the area close to where the mole was removed. Saw his regular doctor. Felt like it was a inflamed lymph node and antibiotics were prescribed. After all was taken, the knot was still there. Went to see his surgeon. Ordered scans and did a FNA. Scans were negative along with FNA. The surgeon felt that what every this was it needed to be removed and referred him to an ENT. The ENT surgeon felt like there was nothing to it, but agreed that it needed to come out.  Surgery was done on 2/19/2014. Parotid gla.nd was removed. Pathology report came back as Metastatic Melanoma. At this time, all his doctors felt like he needed to be evaluated at M.D. Anderson. Multiple trips to M.D. Anderson were made. The first trip was made for consultation was on Mar 2 and 3. Had to rent a car because tires on his pickup are slick. Not able to buy tires cause loss of work during this time.  He pays for his own Blue Cross insurance which is $347/mo. Preop and surgery for a total radical neck was schedule for April 15(Preop) and April16(surgery). When he got there to meet with surgeon, they had not reviewed his path slides. Surgery reschedule for April 28. The surgery itself took a total of 10 long hours. Came home with 2 drain tubes and many sutures. The ENT here was allowed to do post-op follow-up. Four weeks of work has been missed with this surgery. Drain tubes were removed to soon. Several trips to ER was made to have fluid aspirated from the area for pain relief. A third drain tube was put in. It stayed in for 2 more weeks.  During this time, he has not been able to work. Had to work with a physical therapist to get to be able to turn his neck. Bills are piling up like crazy. What money he had saved up was used to pay for motel rooms, transportation, etc  back and forth to M.D. Anderson. His Dad and I has made sure that his health insurance has been. He cant afford to have that canceled. That cost is $347/mo. We are paying his truck note, rent, truck insurance, and health insurance for him. If it had not been for his Dad and I, he could not had been able to even considered having medical care at M.D. Anderson. His medical bills are threw the roof. Some have even been turned over to collecting agency. 
     All 64 lymph nodes removed during the 10 hour surgery were benign for metastatic melanoma. M.D. Anderson's doctors said at this time no further treatment was necessary but he has to follow up with them every 3 months. His next visit is schedule for July. 
      If there is anything that you can do to help him, it would be greatly appreciated. If you need to speak with us, please call us at any time. Whatever type of documentation that you need, please let me know and I will send it to you immediately. Please know that any type of help that you can give to him would be much appreciated. 
     Thank you so very much for you time,  Evelyn Whatley(601-660-1882)

