To know Mickey and Cindy is to love them.  2020 started off like any other normal year, but changed quickly.

Mother’s Day 2020, Cindy’s mom was taken to the hospital where they discovered she had cancer and it had already spread.  It hit hard and fast and in July she was sent home with hospice.  She was given less than a week to live, but she fought hard and they enjoyed almost a whole month together.  But at the end of July she was telling her beloved mother goodbye.    

An annual beach trip to Florida came in August and Mickey and Cindy decided to keep the reservations that had with their grandson Chance and get away for some R&R.  The summer had been tough on them and a little vacation may be just what they needed to reflect and start the healing process of losing a mother.   The beach trip was cut short when Mickey wasn’t feeling well.  After a trip to the ER and a doctor visit, Mickey and Cindy were informed he has Non-hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma.  The cancer is in different parts of his body, but there was one tumor that required immediate surgery.  The surgery went well but aggressive, long term treatment would be required.   Within 2 weeks chemo was started.   

Chemo treatments are so strong that he can only have them every 3 weeks and he has to have 6 of these.

In addition to 6 chemo treatments, he is getting 5 Methotrexate treatments.   These require him to stay in the hospital and be monitored.  They monitor his temperature, liver and kidney levels.   All of these could get dangerously high and he has to be in the hospital for immediate attention if needed.  The hospital stay varies but averages 5-7 days every 3 weeks.   

Going through the treatments and caring for a loved one with cancer is hard and is emotionally and physically draining.  On top the emotional and physical stress, financial stress just adds to it.   Mickey is unable to work his normal shifts and is getting very little time on the job.  Cindy is missing lots of time at work taking him to appointments and treatments so it has been months since she has had a full paycheck.  As you all know, bills just keep coming and you add the co-pays to the normal bills and it can be overwhelming.

I ask each of you to lift this amazing couple up in prayer.  Pray specifically for strength to get through each day as each day brings different challenges.

We want to do a fund raiser but given the current Covid situation that just isn’t an option, so we are turning to social media to help get their story out.  If you feel led to contribute to help them financially, we have a PayPal account set up (Sinphelps@gmail.com) and there will be an account at Heritage South Community Credit Union if you would like to donate that way.  With your donation, if you give us your address and we will send you a #WeAreTeamMickey bracelet 💚.

If you are unable to financially give at this time, we understand and if you still want a bracelet contact a family member directly and we will be glad to get you one.

We believe in intercessory prayer and greatly appreciate it if you add them to your daily prayers.

Mickey is half way through his chemo treatments and is currently in the hospital undergoing his 2nd Methotrexate treatment.  I will keep you all posted on his progress.  Thank you for your time and May God Bless You 💚