Fighting a Brain Tumor
Donation protected
I have a brain tumor that was supposed to have been removed by a Dr. John Schneider at the Iowa City VA Medical Center on July 18 2017, after the surgery he told my family and then myself that he had removed 100% of it. after my discharge from the Hospital I had numerous followup appointments with him and during each one I told him how bad my headaches were and that I can not stand lights that they made it feel like someone was poking their fingers in my eyes, he would just say don't worry about it, you just had brain surgery and it will take a long time to heal. fast forward to December of 2017, Dr Schneider had had a patient die from having to do fore surgeries on his brain due to an infection that the patient got after the first one, the patient ended up passing away. Another man is now in a wheelchair because of a botched surgery at the VA by Dr. Schneider. This was all over the local and National news and I thought WOW did I luck out. it was found that he had had his licence revoked on another state due to medical malpractice and has a bunch of lawsuits against him.
Well again I thought to myself that I was lucky other then these constant headaches. I continued to go to follow up appointments and in February of 2018 the VA got a temporary Neurosurgeon who saw me, I explained to him about the constant headaches and about my eyes hurting all the time, he ordered another MRI of my brain, (he said I should have had one a few weeks after the surgery and didn't know why Dr. Schneider didn't have one done). Well on March 1st 2018 I went down to the Iowa City VA Hospital and had another MRI done at 09::00 and had an appointment to talk to the Neurosurgeon at 11:00, when I was shown into see him he looked up and said "I don't know how to tell you this, I asked if the tumor was growing back, he said "No, Dr Schneider never took it out"
Well again to make a long story short, I have now been sent to see a lot of other Neurosurgeons and they all give different excuses as to why someone else needs to do the surgery, the team in Minneapolis MN said that it needs a surgeon who does at least two of these a week, it's beyond their capabilities because of the scar tissue that was left by Schneider, I was told this same thing by another Surgeon also. One from Chicago said let's watch it for a year and see what happens, again when I asked him about the headaches I got no answer. I was finally sent to a neurologist to see about the headaches and I told him that I had asked 5 neurosurgeons about why I had them and that they would not answer me and why they all had different opinions on what should be done. he said it's because of who did the surgery, they don't know what he did and really don't want to get involved.
He did say it needs to come out and he would help in any way he could.
I have even had Senator Joni Ernst helping. she and her people have been trying to get the VA to let me go to either Walter Reed or Bethesda. the VA told her office that I had already been seen out in the community and that was my one time. well I don't know what happened but I do have an appointment to go to Minnesota to the Mayo Hospital on the 21st of November to see the neurologist there and then they will set up an appointment for me to see their Neurosurgeons. God only know what their answers will be.
What my problem is, after all this time of not being able to work because of this I am going bankrupt, I have had to sell off all of my cows, a lot of my farm equipment, construction equipment, and personal stuff to try to keep up with my bills, I have had a repo truck sitting in my driveway wanting to repo my truck, thank god I was able to borrow the money fast to make a payment, I am still behind on all of my payments, and getting further behind each month. I now have to find a way to pay for a motel in Minnesota this month and again when they make another apt for me to actually see a neurosurgeon and the fuel to get there and back. I am to the point of not caring anymore, I now understand why 22 veterans a day choose to give up. I have lived all my life with the pride of knowing I have always made my own way in life, not even drawing a days unemployment because I love to work. I have always been the one who gave to those in need, not the one asking for help and it imbarreses me to do so now.
but if there is any way you can see that you can help I will forever be in your debt. and if and when I am able again I promise to pay it forward.
Well again I thought to myself that I was lucky other then these constant headaches. I continued to go to follow up appointments and in February of 2018 the VA got a temporary Neurosurgeon who saw me, I explained to him about the constant headaches and about my eyes hurting all the time, he ordered another MRI of my brain, (he said I should have had one a few weeks after the surgery and didn't know why Dr. Schneider didn't have one done). Well on March 1st 2018 I went down to the Iowa City VA Hospital and had another MRI done at 09::00 and had an appointment to talk to the Neurosurgeon at 11:00, when I was shown into see him he looked up and said "I don't know how to tell you this, I asked if the tumor was growing back, he said "No, Dr Schneider never took it out"
Well again to make a long story short, I have now been sent to see a lot of other Neurosurgeons and they all give different excuses as to why someone else needs to do the surgery, the team in Minneapolis MN said that it needs a surgeon who does at least two of these a week, it's beyond their capabilities because of the scar tissue that was left by Schneider, I was told this same thing by another Surgeon also. One from Chicago said let's watch it for a year and see what happens, again when I asked him about the headaches I got no answer. I was finally sent to a neurologist to see about the headaches and I told him that I had asked 5 neurosurgeons about why I had them and that they would not answer me and why they all had different opinions on what should be done. he said it's because of who did the surgery, they don't know what he did and really don't want to get involved.
He did say it needs to come out and he would help in any way he could.
I have even had Senator Joni Ernst helping. she and her people have been trying to get the VA to let me go to either Walter Reed or Bethesda. the VA told her office that I had already been seen out in the community and that was my one time. well I don't know what happened but I do have an appointment to go to Minnesota to the Mayo Hospital on the 21st of November to see the neurologist there and then they will set up an appointment for me to see their Neurosurgeons. God only know what their answers will be.
What my problem is, after all this time of not being able to work because of this I am going bankrupt, I have had to sell off all of my cows, a lot of my farm equipment, construction equipment, and personal stuff to try to keep up with my bills, I have had a repo truck sitting in my driveway wanting to repo my truck, thank god I was able to borrow the money fast to make a payment, I am still behind on all of my payments, and getting further behind each month. I now have to find a way to pay for a motel in Minnesota this month and again when they make another apt for me to actually see a neurosurgeon and the fuel to get there and back. I am to the point of not caring anymore, I now understand why 22 veterans a day choose to give up. I have lived all my life with the pride of knowing I have always made my own way in life, not even drawing a days unemployment because I love to work. I have always been the one who gave to those in need, not the one asking for help and it imbarreses me to do so now.
but if there is any way you can see that you can help I will forever be in your debt. and if and when I am able again I promise to pay it forward.
Organizer
Tony French
Organizer
Janesville, IA
