Welcome to our CaringBridge website. We are using it to keep family and friends updated in one place. We appreciate your support and words of hope and encouragement. Thank you for visiting
As many of you may know that Winston had mouth/neck cancer 10 years ago. He overcame the extensive surgeries,radiation and chemotherapy that he received back then he turned his life around; he became more in tune with his body, mind and spirit ; He never drank alcohol again , nor did any nicotine products after he had surgery 10 years ago.Unfortunately, he recently had a wound in his mouth that would not heal and he went to the dentist who referred him to be evaluated for re-occurrence of his mouth cancer. It has been confirmed that is indeed what he is dealing with is Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the mouth again.
He had another major surgery July 15, this surgery lasted 18 hours, to remove his Jaw, chin, lower lip, lymph nodes and his posterior tongue. The surgeons removed his fibula bone from his right leg to use to replace his jaw bone and cut muscle/skin from the same leg to make a flap to replace his chin and lower lip. They also removed his right pectoral muscle from his chest to use to mold his new mouth and give it blood supply. The main surgeon, Dr. DiLeo, told us that the surgery was more complicated than any brain or heart surgery . The next day after the first surgery, the flap lost a detectable pulse and required that he had to go back to surgery for 6 more hours to remove a blood clot and re-establish blood flow to the flap. He will have a tracheotomy and tube feeding for quite some time. Initially he won't be able to speak or eat . He will have radiation treatments again and more chemotherapy starting August 26th. The estimated physical recovery time is 4 to 6 months at best.
I am his sister, Gretchen, and I will do the best I can to keep you informed as to his progress and read to him any notes of encouragement that you may wish to leave for him.I will be answering his telephone until he can speak again but would prefer to communicate via text or email: kaltenbachg@yahoo.com
A few people have asked how they could help him out and donate to his recovery cost and extended period of unemployment, so I started a GoFundMe on his behalf.If you so feel inclined to donate follow the link below, or search his name on gofundme.com ,but do not donate through the caringbridge site as that money does not go to Winston it goes to caringbridge.
https://www.gofundme.com/f/winston-kaltenbach&rcid=r01-156254480086-147b24691dad4a2f&pc=ot_co_campmgmt_wWith gratitude from our heart's ,
Namaste'
