VIRAL INFECTION IT WAS NOT, ADVANCED MELANOMA IT WAS, OUR LIVES CHANGED OVERNIGHT DRAMATICALLY!

Andy went to work on the 25th of September, little did we know that was his last ever day of work. He decided to come home mid-morning as he was having difficulty walking, knowing something was seriously wrong so I, his wife rushed him to the ED.

Numerous doctor visits from mid-July which started as mild symptoms and firstly being treated for a viral infection with antibiotics, they missed what really was happening for months maybe a different outcome if caught in July?

Then the shock of our lives, when the word "cancer" we were told he had metastatic melanoma in his spinal cord, brain, chest lymph nodes and rib. Andy condition was a bit unique and it quite complicated due to it affecting is central nervous system.

Andy was the family main income earner which has brought challenges. The facility provided was not fully funded and had to contribute to a daily charge rate.

He had 3 hospital admissions first came out with a walking frame, second one a wheelchair and 3rd one put into an end-of-life facility.

Radiation and 2 rounds of immunotherapy didn't work for him, and they were stopped a scan mid-January showed all have growth including 3 new bigger ones in the brain.

His oncologist feels the immunotherapy, in her words "poked the bear". Which didn't give us a desired outcome we were hoping for. It was hard for not only Andy but also the family seeing him decline and losing his independence.

Sadly, this month he has started deteriorated very fast a bit faster than expected.