Naomi Winkelmann

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About 2 1/2 years ago, my mom, Naomi, was told she had a spot of cancer in the bottom love of her right lung. It was decided that she would have surgery to remove the lobe.  She had her first surgery in early December of 2014, and with complications, the entire lung was removed. 


Over the next two years, the resulting hole in the brachial branch would not heal enough with multiple plugs and other methods to close the hole. This journey lead her to be taken to the U of M in the Twin Cities. Today, April 24th, she had her sixth surgery at the U of M to try and repair the hole, hopefully for the last time!


The surgery started around 11am and finished about 5:15pm. The doctor said that they reinforced the hole really well and are very confident that this will hold, even if she has a tough bout of coughing. They also put in a drainage tube in the lower part of the lung cavity to drain out infected fluid in the cavity. She will be in the hospital mostly a week at the least. Possibly up the three. My dad is staying with Katrin and I while mom is recovering. Prayers, cards, calls or whatever you like is much appreciated!