12 Days: Pharr family struggles to pay its bills as patriarch's skin cancer worsens

Enrique Orozco holds his 2-year-old son, Enrique Jr., as they watch the family’s television, which sits on an old TV stand in the corner of their modest, two-bedroom home. His three daughters, Silvia, Citlaly and Cristal, giggle as they watch a fuzzy bootleg copy of Chipmunks: The Squeakel. His wife, also named Silvia, purchased the film at a local flea market for $1.

Enrique gently smiles at his son’s excitement. The father wears a gray baseball cap that fits his head a size too big. But there’s a purpose for the oversized cap: It’s large enough to hide what’s underneath the brim. In the area between his brown eyes is an open sore the size of lemon. The center of the wound is pink and red, outlined by scabs. It resembles a gunshot wound and extends to the bridge of his nose. His wife said the sore often secretes yellow pus and a clear liquid.

"His head hurts all through here," Silvia said in Spanish, as she traced the top part of his head with her fingers. "It throbs."

Last year, Enrique was diagnosed with skin cancer. For the past three months, he has been unable to work or provide for his family.

Silvia gently pulls Enrique Jr.’s collar down to his chest area. She points to a brown birthmark the size of a push-pin.

"It was this size when we first noticed it. It just grew and grew," Silvia said of her husband’s cancer. "It started eating away at his skin."

After visiting several doctors, Enrique was ultimately diagnosed with skin cancer. With no insurance for medication, the sore has gone untreated for more than a year.

In June, doctors informed Enrique that he must undergo surgery to transplant a skin graft from a separate part of his body to his forehead. The family lacks the funds to pay for the procedure and doctors warned Silvia if the surgery doesn’t take place soon and the cancer spreads to his bone, Enrique will have to be treated with injections.

"We don’t have the money to pay for it," Silvia said. "We’re not even going to have money to pay for the water bill this month."

Enrique is the sole provider for the family of six. In the past he has mowed lawns, and worked as a mechanic, plumber and carpenter to help pay the family’s electric, water and rent bills.

He said he often feels dizzy and his headaches keep him from doing strenuous work.

"He can’t work outside anymore because when he sweats, the moisture hurts his forehead," Silvia said. "Even when he takes a shower, the water that falls on his forehead is painful for him."

For the past two months, Enrique’s condition has worsened and Silvia has begun holding garage sales to help with the family’s unpaid bills.

"I sell whatever I have here, like things I don’t need or clothes that don’t fit the children anymore," Silvia said. "It’s the only thing I can do for money right now. He hasn’t been feeling well. It hurts him too much."

THE FAMILY

Enrique is quiet, only uttering a few words to his children as they sit around the family’s television. His eyes seem to squint from the pain the open wound on his forehead causes. He wears his cap at all times, shielding the sore from view.

He and his wife have divided the two bedrooms in their tiny home among the six family members. Seven-year-old Citlaly and her older sister Cristal, 11, share a bed. Five-year-old Silvia Orozco and her little brother Enrique Jr. join mom and dad in the adjacent bedroom.

Silvia said the children are aware of their father’s condition and know he may not get better, but Enrique Jr. still believes he can help.

"He’ll put his little hand on his dad’s forehead and say ‘I’ll cure you daddy. I’ll cure you,’" Silvia laughs.

"He doesn’t know."

Enrique Jr. was a late bloomer. Silvia said when he was 9 months old, he had problems learning to sit and crawl on his own. After a doctor recommended therapy, she enrolled him in the children’s rehabilitation center Kids Korner in Pharr.

"He learned how to walk and they showed him how to button his shirt. Now he’ll button and undo the buttons on the shirts he wears sometimes," Silvia said, smiling.

Enrique Jr. often relies on his older sisters for support. When it came time to write a letter to Santa Claus, his three sisters helped him jot down his Christmas wishes.

"He wants a blue bike," Citlaly said.

She had just received her first pair of eyeglasses that afternoon. The three youngest children have qualified for Medicaid, which has helped pay for doctor visits.

"She’s very responsible," Silvia said about Citlaly. "When I picked her up from school to get her glasses, she wanted to go back and try them out. She loves to read a lot."

However, the Orozcos’ oldest daughter, Cristal, does not qualify for Medicaid. Recently, the 11-year-old has complained about severe headaches, which Silvia believes are a result of her blurry vision. She suspects she may need glasses but the family cannot afford the doctor visit.

Nevertheless, Citlaly and her sisters often stay after school to read for extra credit. Their primary language is Spanish but they are learning English as well.

"I want braces," little Silvia shouts.

But her mother knows better.

"There’s a little girl in her class with braces who speaks a lot of English. Silvia thinks if she gets them, she’ll be able to speak it, too. She said she wants to get braces for all the kids in the class so they can learn it, too."

HOW TO HELP

There are no presents under the plastic tree that stands inside the Orozcos’ tiny living room. Four letters asking Santa Claus for simple things like a Ken doll, a toy car and a bicycle are placed neatly on the windowsill.

Without a source of income, the family may go without presents this year as they struggle to make ends meet. But missing toys is nothing compared to the health of their father.

Enrique is in dire need of medical attention — without it, his health will continue to worsen.

Donations can help the family pay for water, electricity and rent as well as the surgery that Enrique needs.

"I just want him to get well," Silvia said, as she fought back tears.

"I’d like the same thing," Enrique said.

Crystal Olvera covers features and entertainment for The Monitor. He can be reached at (956) 683-4427.