Jimmy Easley went to see his Primary Care Physician, Dr. Patel, in April of 2014. He detected a lump in Jimmy’s right neck so sent him to Navarro Regional for a CT which revealed multiple masses. Later, an ultrasound guided, fine needle aspiration was performed which found squamous cell carcinoma. Dr. Patel sent Jimmy to see us at Corsicana Cancer Center in May of 2014.
Before and After pictures of Jimmy Easley at his worst when he finally started treatment, and then after Justin Wright, DDS put his smile back. (Courtesy Photos)
When I first met Jimmy he was 54 years old, a big, strong Harley-Davidson driving, welder. Jimmy was suddenly faced with the diagnosis everybody fears, and like anyone, he would need direction to understand what treatments would be necessary and what additional testing would be required. We explained that he would need concurrent chemo-radiation (this means he would need a Medical Oncologist to prescribe and administer chemotherapy as well as a Radiation Oncologist to design and treat the area with radiation). Corsicana Cancer Center’s Radiation Oncologist explained to Jimmy that he would need a large area irradiated, including his neck, nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal areas in order to cure and try to prevent recurrence of the disease. Radiation Therapy is a daily treatment and Jimmy would need about 30 treatments which he could do locally. He was also told that he may also need a neck dissection; which would require yet another doctor.
As many discover, not all doctors take all insurances. Jimmy would need to go to Parkland for his surgeries and for his chemotherapy as there were no medical oncologists locally that would take his insurance. In July of 2014, Parkland removed his right and left tonsils and completed a right neck dissection and sent all the tissue to pathology. With this new information Jimmy’s final diagnosis was elevated to Stage IV Oropharyngeal Cancer. After the new diagnosis Jimmy said, “Parkland gave me five years.”
With many Head and Neck cancers, before radiation is started, a dental clearance is required and often the dentist will recommend removal of some teeth that are in the treatment area. Much to his dismay, Jimmy, had to have all his teeth extracted before his treatments could begin. The big strong man I initially met had lost a lot of weight, lost his teeth and he was just beginning his battle.
After recovering from his surgery and dental extractions, Jimmy started concurrent treatments in August of 2014. Concurrent (simultaneous) chemotherapy and radiation is very, very difficult to tolerate but Jimmy was determined to beat this disease. Radiation is directed to the site of the disease so side effects are only to the treatment area, but the neck is delicate and swallowing becomes very hard. Chemotherapy is administered through a port that is surgically implanted in the upper chest area; chemicals are placed in the port and are distributed throughout the entire body through the bloodstream causing nausea, low appetite, and hair loss. When Chemotherapy and Radiation are administered together, it is stronger than when administered separately. Side effects are very difficult to tolerate and it is not unusual for patients to need a break from treatment. Before this all started Jimmy said he weighed about 225, but despite his best efforts, his weight plummeted to 143. Jimmy said, “I couldn’t have done it without my wife. Michelle has stuck by my side for 37 years and she made sure I got up and did what needed to be done”. Jimmy is a fighter and he never missed a single treatment; not one. Once he collapsed due to dehydration but Dr. Patel administered IV hydration at Navarro Regional Hospital and Jimmy continued his fight; never missing a beat.
I remember distinctly one day Jimmy came into the Corsicana Cancer Center without his normal smile…normally, despite everything, Jimmy always had a kind word and a grin. I asked him what was wrong and he said, “I feel like my Grandpaw, I ain’t got no hair or any teeth left.” It was then that the Corsicana Cancer Center team decided that when he was through with his treatments, we would see what could be done to restore his smile. He completed treatment in October of 2014. We asked Jimmy if he would sign a release to allow us to tell his story and have a fundraiser and he agreed.
Teenage picture of Jimmy when he was in high school- more proof of his awesome smile and this is the picture that Dr. Wright used to design his new teeth.
By January 2015, a group of local musicians, Bryan Smith, Robert Horvath and Stan Lawton, agreed to play the benefit concert at the Corsicana Opry. Corsicana’s local Dickey’s BBQ Pit donated BBQ dinner plates and Jimmy’s wife cooked up 100’s of tamales. Local shops donated auction items and the Corsicana Country Club helped fund all the supplies needed to carry off the large fundraiser. We raised enough money to partially fund new teeth for Jimmy. What money wasn’t raised was donated by Justin Wright, the local dentist that brought that smile back to its former glory.
Fast forward to now, July of 2023, almost a decade and Jimmy is still getting clean cancer reports. He is back to his big and strong self. Sadly, he no longer has his Harley but he still welds and he still has a kind word and a big smile.
