Hi, thank you for visiting me here at Caring Bridge. Here's a general summary of what's happened:
Since early September through Nov 1 I spent in Intensive Care at Shands Hospital in Gainesville. I was well into a clinical trial of chemotherapy to treat my recurring stage 4 rare form of tongue cancer. The chemo started eating away the area that was radiated back n 2010 when I was first treat for the tongue cancer. It eventually ate all the way to my carotid artery and it eventually ruptured and started a life-threatening bleed, and I was taken to the hospital by ambulance. This happened again a month later just after being discharged while my brother Thadd was taking me home. I was taken back to hospital immediately and was put on life support.
I remained in ICU for several weeks. (I have been in a specialty hospital for since mid October with full medical staff care). I have since had multiple surgeries, a tracheotomy procedure, feeding tubes, etc.
Today, I'm writing this from a specialty hospital with full medical staff in Gainesville which is just across the street from the ICU. They are caring for me while all the surgeries are healing. I have been progressing in strength, though I have lost 30 pounds during this process.
My cancer treatment has been put on hold for now while I go through this process. Hopefully when I'm ready to receive treatment again we will find one that won't cause me additional problems.
I am so so grateful to all of my family and friends who have been supporting me and praying for me throughout this time. I would love to hear from you. Please take a moment a write a note in the messages here on Caring Bridge and I will write back.
