An old Yiddish saying tells us, "Man plans, and God laughs."

On August 3, Joe and I moved into a beautiful, brand new apartment in Asheville after our three-year road trip across the country. We were ready to settle down again in our favorite city and focus on getting all the beautiful photo artistry he created during our travels up for sale.

On August 10, we received devastating news. Joe was diagnosed with aggressive, late stage liver cancer. We were in shock. Tests taken in November 2019 and May 2020 showed him to be healthy and clear of disease. It was only in July that he began to feel tired and an unusual lack of appetite, so shortly before our move, Joe had some tests and an ultrasound taken. Not thinking it was anything more than fatigue from a busy July searching for a new home, we drove to Wilmington on August 1, rented a truck, loaded our things from the storage unit, and Joe drove the 15-foot truck back to Asheville the next day.

After the diagnosis, Joe was referred to an oncologist who ordered additional scans and blood tests and submitted his case to a review board. The board confirmed the diagnosis and recommended a 2-step targeted therapy (radioembolization) to stop/slow the growth of the large tumor and a systemic treatment of immunotherapy, an ongoing infusion of chemicals into the body, which had serious side effects and a good possibility of destroying his otherwise perfect health.

Joe chose to undergo the targeted therapy and went to the hospital for the first step of treatment on August 28. After a grueling, uncomfortable and painful day, the radiologist told us that complications prevented him from completing the procedure. He said he hoped to be able to repair the damage by repeating the procedure a second time. This meant Joe now had two more painful, uncomfortable treatments, but he decided to go ahead.

On September 10, the doctor repeated the procedure, but was unable to make the necessary repair or find another safe route to deliver the targeted dose of radiation to the damaged part of the liver. The possibility of leakage, or having the radiation spread to healthy areas of the liver, was too great to chance.

Returning to the oncologist on September 11, Joe was told that immunotherapy was his only other option. But after careful research and a "teaching session" with a nurse practitioner on how the sessions (3-4 hour appointments scheduled for once every three weeks for "as long as they helped"), Joe refused to undergo the treatment. It simply didn't make sense to destroy his good health for something that didn't cure the cancer and only offered the possibility of more time with prolonged suffering.

Every visit with one of the cancer doctors or medical staff and every medication they prescribed to "relieve" his symptoms made him worse. The disease, which barely was showing signs of symptoms in early August, and stress of medical treatment started to take its toll on Joe. He lost weight, was very tired, and his usual vivacious spirit was greatly diminished. 

He chose instead to seek alternative treatment that could dispel the cancer by safer methods that bolstered his health, rather than weaken it. Thousands of individuals have refused conventional treatment and proven that the body can be healed in ways that medicines can't touch.

Joe is now working with a team of medical professionals and alternative protocols designed to improve his strength and ability to fight the disease.

Many of you have asked how you can help.
What Joe Needs from You:

1.  Your emotional support by holding his vision of perfect health and thinking of him as your already know him: Strong, vibrant, creative, and full of life.
2. Your healing thoughts, prayers, love, and energy sent frequently.
3. Your financial support through contributions to our GoFundMe campaign
The money will be used to pay:
• The mounting medical bills already incurred for services and procedures not covered by our Medicare Advantage Plan
• The ongoing therapies, nourishment, and supplements he needs to heal and relieve his pain
• Day-to-day living expenses and some comfortable furnishings for Joe

We took a lease and obligated to 13 months of rent plus utilities with the expectation that we would have the income from his artwork and my editorial and consulting services to support us. However, Joe and I are spending 100 percent of our time focused on his daily needs and care. We are unable to devote time or energy to our professions at this time, and it's not clear when we can resume.

We came to this new apartment with very slim furnishings and household goods. For those of you who don't know, we had downsized to the bare basics before beginning our road trip. We expected to replace those items once moved in, but all our funds for that have been depleted by this health crisis.

We do not have any living room furniture or comfortable seating where Joe can rest outside of bed. We are also in need of several small kitchen appliances, safe cookware, and gadgets that will greatly assist in his food preparation.

I hope you can understand our short- and long-term needs and help us.  It's not an easy request for us to make, and we'd like to offer you one of Joe's photographic prints in return. Please just leave your name and address with your note and contribution (or contact me via email or Facebook private messages), and we will mail a print to you. I can't take requests for specific images, but we have many beautiful prints to share with our loved ones in gratitude for your support. Many of the images have never even been offered for sale and/or are one of a kind. You can be assured that you'll receive a beautiful print that will always be a reminder of Joe and our appreciation for your generosity.

I will be updating this page with continued reports of this journey Joe and I are taking. We love you all and have already felt the healing love you've sent. Keep it up!