My Two Cents[/caption].
Welcome back My Dear Readers to The Other Shoe another edition of ‘My Two Cents’. It is been many weeks since my last edition of ‘My Two Cents’ was published here at The Other Shoe. I could sit here and enumerate the myriad reasons for the absence of any edition of this article series. However, instead of looking back My Dear Readers I will choose to look forward. Since my last appearance, in this franchise, I have been diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Upon the receipt of this; untimely, unfortunate, unwanted, frightening news I immediately snapped into a ‘Critical Thinking’ mode.
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For now two generations, that I know of, the Hanning family has been periodically plagued with that parasitic pathogen cancer. Each and every time I have seen it rear its ugly head, in my family history, it is wrought financial disaster wherever it went. Due to my physical inability to perform any kind of work that would pay a wage, I saw the onset of this cancer is the tip of the sword. A sword that would lead to the undoing of my life, my life of 28 years with Alan, and my ability to keep a roof over my head. Now, My Dear Readers, you want to know something even more frightening than cancer? Think about having cancer and being homeless at the same time.
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That, My Dear Readers, was the fear that rose its ugly terrifying head August 8, 2014. The reality of my familial- existence is that I could count on only one thing. I could not count on my family to come to my assistance. Whereas that might seem brutal, harsh, unfeeling, and insensitive, and for the majority of you a frame of reference we could not possibly share, it is just the reality of the past 40 years of my life. That is not to say, My Dear Readers, that the family I have does not love me. For all I know, they do. However, since my father walked out on his wife and his two remaining sons in the late 60s? I have learned that to be a 'Hanning' is to learn how to make it from one crisis or event, to another completely alone.
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So be it. Now, My Dear Readers, I had every good hearted intention to not hold a fund-raising campaign this year! I remember the parable of ‘The Boy who Cried Wolf’. Having remembered this parable well I, myself, did not want to fall into a pattern of behavior that left those that do care (about my welfare) feeling spent by their efforts to assist. Allen and I were making it just fine. Like a good many millions upon millions of Americans, Allen and I were living paycheck to paycheck, month-to-month, hand to mouth. There is no great pride, in living that way, but we were making it and we were making it on our own. My Dear Readers I struggled with the next decision of my life greatly.
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Over the next week, starting August 8, 2014 when I was told I have lymphatic cancer, I’m willing to bet I did not sleep one night in three. I laid awake each and every night tossing and turning and struggling with a decision I had prayed God I would never have to make. I could go forward, and battle my cancer alone with no help nor assistance from friend or family or acquaintance. Following this path, most assuredly, at some point in the next 18 months, 'needs' would far outstrip 'means'. At that point Allen and I would be left with a choice of stopping any current treatment to battle my cancer, or lose their roof over our heads.
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Now, My Dear Readers, the decision-making process was not one I made solely alone. I discussed this, at length, with Allen prior to making my decision. I touched base with the family members that I am still in contact with, only to find them quite bereft of the ability to help. On August 15, 2014, at about seven the evening, I came to my final decision. My Dear Readers I had struggled now a long and sleepless week with a difficult ’no-win’ situation. On one hand, I could move forward with treatment Allen would lose days and days of work for weeks at a time, and in a matter of months our needs… The demands of my cancer would far outstrip our means to meet these demands.
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At which time, My Dear Readers, we would find ourselves completely in able to pay our rent thus resulting in our eviction from our home… And homelessness. The alternative would be to tell my doctors, my primary care physician and my oncologist, that I was to refuse treatment for my recently diagnosed cancer. To do so would be to challenge my primary care physician’s judgment about the best course of treatment for my health. I understood that if I chose this course of action my primary care physician and oncologist could refuse further treatment, based on my poor judgment regarding my health. Under Medicare any doctor that is currently treating you can, at any moment at their discretion, choose to halt their participation in your healthcare. I do this from reading the literature provided by Medicare, and I knew this because my primary care physician had explained it to me previously. So you see, My Dear Readers, to initially refuse any staging of my cancer or following chemotherapy would be to risk the loss of all my practitioners.
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With that in mind, My Dear Readers, I concluded that the best and most logical course of action would be to chance becoming a character in a parable, to risk excommunication by my fellow Texans, to invite the dissolution of multigenerational friendships, and to seek the kindness and support (I now much needed) to battle this cancer. Over the next 48 hours I put the final finishing touches on a preliminary campaign I had drawn up, earlier that month. I had never intended on using the draft campaign I shared with you, My Dear Readers, on August 11, 2014. I didn’t sleep much, over the next 48 hours, as I tried to come up with a ‘Mission Statement’ that didn’t sound too trite, to pathetic, or too demanding. I hope and pray none of you never have to experience what that feels like.
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On August 17, 2014 I, with a heavy heart and deep regret, launched Danny’s Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo[1]. My Dear Readers since that day I have done my level best to; write every single day that I am physically able, publish every single day I have something written worth publishing, update the campaign with every event in every publication, publicize the campaign via Facebook and YouTube to the best of my ability and financial means, post regular and informative updates via Facebook and both of my blogs, and to keep myself from reaching to deep in the depths of depression. That’s a lot of goals My Dear Readers, and I am but one man. I will never know, for sure, why this campaign did not catch on like my two previous campaigns.
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I may well never know why many of my; friends, family, acquaintances and readers of my two blogs helped twice previously, but did not hearken to my call for assistance in my battle with cancer. All I do know is that in 35 days I have raised $150. Starting today I begin the 10 day countdown to the end of said campaign. My Dear Readers, I have a little less than 10 days to raise enough money for my continued treatment in my battle for cancer. In the first 35 days I have provided; pathology reports, biopsy reports, physician’s notes, images from scans, and test results. There are at least a half dozen incidences where, in these reports, it clearly states Danny Hanning has a lymphoma. That Danny Hanning has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
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All that remains, in this part of my battle with cancer, is a little less than 10 days of me writing and publishing and promoting and praying that more will come forward and join the few that have already donated to help me battle cancer. The facts are there, my writing this here, my need is genuine, my cancer quite real. It is my, now published, desire to continue with and win my battle with this lymphatic cancer. It is my intent and desire to use money raised from this campaign exclusively in the battle with this cancer that has invaded my body and life. It will be the focus of the next 200 hours of my life to convince you My Dear Readers, to come forward and pledge five dollars, $10, $20, $200 to enable me to battle and beat cancer and keep a roof over my head.
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In closing, again, I never wanted to run a campaign this year. My Dear Readers I wanted 2014 to be a year where I wrote, published, and entertained without asking anything, one red cent, from you or anyone else. But as they say ‘the best laid plans of mice and men…’. I come to you, in these closing hours of my campaign, to ask, to implore, to convince, to beseech you My Dearest Readers, to reach out and help lift me so that I might stand in battle and win this war on my cancer.
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My Dear Readers I thank you for your time today, I thank you for your patience your understanding your kindness and your support. I look forward to writing and sharing them with you again tomorrow, until then please click the links below, take a moment and help change my life for the better.
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Adieu!
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Thank YOU!
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Adieu!
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Thank YOU!
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Danny's Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo
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PLEASE DONATE to
Danny's Cancer Treatment Fund @ Indiegogo
[caption id="attachment_3338" align="aligncenter" width="225"]
Danny in Rolling Hills Estates August 12, 2014[/caption]PLEASE GIVE!?!
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