My Father, Jim Maleta, recently had a tumor removed on his spine which has been diagnosed (10/11) as melanoma. He is now wheelchair-bound and in need of rehabilitation and care-giving to get him back on his feet.
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My father, Jim Maleta, had just finished completing his 3rd annual trek of the famous pilgrimage, Camino de Santiago, in Europe this last summer with my mother, Katie. Prior to and during the journey, he had tremendous back pain. At the time, he thought it was most likely just a symptom of an aging body, and perhaps worsened by daily driving during his years of work commute.
However, the pain progressed and when he returned from his trip he went in for an MRI. To everyone's shock, his imaging showed a large tumor on his spine. When the surgeon operated to remove the mass, the medical team was unable to identify the cell type.
Fast-forward several weeks later and as of 10/11 we now have a diagnosis from the lab work. My father has been diagnosed with either stage 4 melanoma cancer or a very rare type of cancer: Primary meningeal melanomatosis or essentially melanoma of the central nervous system.
We will know more when we work with the oncology team and do a tumor panel and PET scan. Either way the prognosis is generally not good...But miracles can happen! Our family (my sister, myself, my brother and my mother) has done the best we can to care for him during this difficult time.
My brother has been busy starting a new job but has been driving up to visit and lend support when he can. My mother has taken a week off work as a teacher to help my dad recover, and my sister and brother-in-law have helped set-up positive strategies and buy needed equipment while also parenting four children. As his oldest son, and without children of my own, I am in the position to take a family medical leave from my work to care for him full time while he heals and regains his independence.
As an occupational therapist for kids with disabilities, I have some experience with physical rehabilitation and am looking forward to this special time with my father. However we will need support from a caretaker to help him regain his ability to walk and heal from cancer. My family is concerned with his progression and care when I return to work in November.
We are in need of caregivers and support for the mid to long-term. Currently we do not have the financial means to pay for this. Any financial help is greatly appreciated even if in the form of sharing this page to your community. Thanks for the consideration and support!
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