Prayers & advice please

All,

A man who I consider to be the best big brother I could've ever asked for contracted stage 4 colon cancer early summer of this year. He's 57 and is nearing the end. Doctor's initially gave him 2 years with chemo, however, his body would develop a blood infection every time a picc line was inserted. Then, they discovered his heart wasn't strong enough for any additional treatment. Therefore he just strapped in and has rode it to the end...which is now about a month away. Words cannot truly express how much I love him and will miss him.

His amazing wife told me the other day Medicaid denied paying for hospice due to them making too much by about $400. I've reached out to some folks via social media for any assistance they can offer. Can anyone please direct me to some other options to help raise some money to help her out? I've got Venmo, PayPal and Zelle as a way to receive money. My brain is so scrambled at the moment and for the life of me I just can't get myself together. I'm also currently selling off a couple of firearms to help them out. I appreciate any constructive advice.

Prayers are absolutely welcome. Thank you all very much.

- Scott

Depending on their asset situation, bankruptcy may be a wise option and could result in them paying nothing. If they feel guilty about that, consider that US medical bills uninsured people about 200% of the rate that they bill to insurance companies, and 300% of the rate they would bill to medicaid. If you did that kind of back-handed charging in your day-to-day life (depending on your job) you could be prosecuted. But in the US system, we think that's okay.

Chapter 7 Limits (to keep everything):
$75,000 in equity for the homestead are exempt (with some wiggle room, e.g. $95,000 equity is probably safe due to costs of sale, sometimes even quite a bit more)
$3,000 - $6,000 in equity for as many as three-five vehicles depending on age and marital status, sometimes quite a bit more (if it's your only vehicle, they are unlikely to do anything).
Other exemptions for tools, jewelry, clothing, food
Normal household possessions are also exempt

I'd look hard to find receipts for un reimbursed work related expenses

Set up a GoFundMe and send it out to anyone and everyone that may know him and have them spread it to anyone else that may be receptive.. Other people seem to do OK with it.

https://www.gofundme.com/

I can help with the prayers, but I don't have much in the idea category. Hopefully he's setup a trust and his wife is a trustee.

I too can only offer prayers. Actually, I am currently on chemo (Xeluda) for colon cancer and just started another chemo at my VA hospital for bladder cancer that has returned.
If your friend is a Veteran, surely there may be some help with them. Sorry to hear anyone has colon cancer as I know what it is like. I also wonder myself, about quality of life verses quantity of life.

Thank you all for the advice and prayers. His wife let me know this morning at 4:57 (CST), angels took him home. I know he is suffering no more and the Lord will look after her. I will definitely pass on the prayers and advice to her. He was not a veteran, but did serve as a civilian contractor operating heavy equipment in the middle east in 2003. He was a great man and a proud patriot who loved his family and his country.

Sorry for the loss of your friend.

Prayers for his survivors.

Prayers to all involved.

Deepest condolences Scott. I pray his passing will leave you all with a sense of peace. Of course the loss is huge, but rest in the assurance that he is healed and home.

I can say this with a 99% certainty that your buddy would say to all that are listening GO GET CHECKED, yes it means a colonostopy.
They call it the silent killer because you have no pain or symptoms until its to late. Get checked even though you have no cancer in your family history.
It can happen to anyone.

Sorry to hear your friend and his family had to go through this.

I lost a dear friend to liver cancer. One day he called and asked me to go to lunch. I didn't know it was to tell me he was dying and there was nothing they could do. Later I called to ask him to lunch and his wife said he was in hospice care. I went to his bed side and sat with him every day for two weeks until the Lord took him. The only think I could do about a year later was help his wife price his guns and shooting equipment which he and I had mutually assembled over the course of a few years. (Some dirtbag in the neighborhood came over an offered her 2k for everything.) I told her he had 5900.00 if a penny. She sold everything for 5905.00 except for one specific gun he wanted me to have. Even though she tried to give it to me for helping her, I still paid her market price for it. If you do anything you might help her with selling anything she doesn't want to keep. No pressure, but don't let the scum of the earth swoop in to take advantage of her.

Sorry for your loss, Squeeze.

-John

Thank you all so very much. There is a hole in my heart as I feel his absence. A true friend who became a brother. Never judged me, turned me away because of my faults, accepted my dark humor, had my back no matter what and welcomed me into his family. Not many like him left. God bless you Rusty. 'Till we meet again.

R.I.P. (12/16/21019
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Originally Posted by henpecked

I can say this with a 99% certainty that your buddy would say to all that are listening GO GET CHECKED, yes it means a colonostopy.
They call it the silent killer because you have no pain or symptoms until its to late. Get checked even though you have no cancer in your family history.
It can happen to anyone.

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I hate to sound Ike a broken record but please, everyone, get a colonoscopy and make sure all is well up there. I myself failed to get one and waited a couple years too long. I now have an 18-inch SHORTER colon and taking chemo to hopefully kill any cells that escaped.