Lori Feldhausen

Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. My beloved sister, Lori, has been diagnosed with Stage IV oral tongue cancer. Her surgery will take place at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center on Monday, Feb. 19, at 530am. The team at John's Hopkins Head and Neck Surgery Center will remove her tongue, lymph nodes on both sides of her neck, and will reconstruct a new tongue from a free flap donated from her wrist or thigh muscle depending on how much tissue is needed. She will have a trachea and PEG (feeding) tubes placed during the procedure which will allow her to breathe and receive nourishment during recovery. Speech and swallowing rehab will begin as soon as the new tongue shows signs of adequate healing.  Radiation, and possible chemo, therapy will begin 6-7 weeks post surgery and last an additional 6-7 weeks. Treatments will be 5 days a week and chemo, if required, will be twice a week. Lori and Tom have selected the Massey Cancer Center in Richmond (VCUHS) to administer rehab and radiation which will allow them to stay with us and receive loads of support from her family and friends in the Richmond area. Lori has a long road ahead of her and we are ready to assist in any way possible. I will update this site much as I did with Cole's Carepages (no longer in operation). Please pray for Lori, Tom, Erika and Ryan. We appreciate your support, words of hope and encouragement, and for sharing this site with concerned parties. Our community continues to show our family tremendous heart and love. We would be lost without you.  Thank you for visiting.