Ric Felder

Welcome to our CaringBridge site. We've created it to keep friends and family updated. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement during this time when it matters most.

My soul mate, Ric, was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme (stage IV brain tumor) on December 31st, 2015. What a shock as we brought in the New Year with this news. On to surgery January 1, 2016 for removal of most of the tumor. He was in the hospital until January 27th and so excited to come home! Ric was able to start his next stage of treatment, Radiation and chemotherapy. He had just 4 treatments and then in the middle of the night...Grand Mal Seizure! 911 and off to the hospital only to find out he had infection in the original surgical site. 2nd surgery....February 5th. The incision was the same as the first but due to infection, the section of bone removed to access the brain could not be saved! The incision was closed with no bone to cover the area. To protect the brain, Ric will have to wear a helmet until he is well healed (3-6 months). This meant staying in the hospital where he was moved 5 different times due to blood clots in the lungs and legs. A filter was placed to catch any blood clots formed and prevent them from traveling upward to heart and lungs. From there Ric went to a Rehab unit, within the hospital, to get stronger with 3 hours of therapy per day. He was a real trooper and was making good progress and was able to come home on March 9th. Unfortunately it was only overnight and he had to return to the hospital again the next day due to extreme weakness and fluid buildup in his legs. He's had more complications with blood clots despite blood thinners and we are praying that will resolve with a change in medications. Ric was finally able to be discharged from the hospital, to a skilled nursing unit, on March 18th, where he could have more therapy, but on a less intense schedule. He was again readmitted to the hospital on March 20th with continuing complications.

We are so fortunate to have so many praying for Ric's healing. This includes family, friends and even people we've never met. We know that through God, all things are possible.