Nick Romero’s Recovery

9/10/22…Hi, my name is Michelle and I’m fundraising for my son Nick. He was at the end of his sophomore year at TCU when he was diagnosed with an extremely rare giant cell tumor on his knee. During the spring semester in April he underwent surgery to remove the tumor. The surgery was successful, but his leg was diagnosed with something called compartment syndrome which resulted in the removal of muscle and numerous surgeries to try and repair the leg. Nick has had 10 surgeries to date and has a few more to go. He will undergo Allograft surgery in a few weeks to receive a new knee and will be in physical therapy for many months, possibly more than that to regain his mobility. Prior to the surgeries Nick was extremely active in the gym and in the pool. He was a competitive swimmer in high school, and a former lifeguard at Heritage and Southlake. He continued to swim regularly as part of his workout routine. This set back has taken a toll on him both physically and mentally. Any help for his medical care is greatly appreciated. Thank you for taking the time to read Nick’s story. 

 Update 11/2/22…Nick had surgery #12 yesterday. His talented surgeons added a donor knee, plates and screws and reconstructed his leg. Nick is in a brace and on bed rest for a few days. He is not ready for physical therapy yet, but is keeping positive to help with his healing and recovery. Nick thanks everyone for the support and words of encouragement. 

 Update 12/24/22… I want to share with you how strong this young man is to go through all he’s been through. Nick has been in and out of the hospital more times than we can count since April. Here we are in the hospital once again as it has been told that his allograft had failed and became infected. He had surgery #15 on Thursday to clear the infection but the surgery did not go as planned because it had spread deep into his tibia bone. Because of the infection the only option left is to undergo above the knee amputation surgery in a few days. When Nick is able to come home he will start physical therapy on his new prosthetic leg. He is looking forward to getting his mobility back, going back to school at TCU, spending time with friends, driving his car and experiencing new adventures. Please continue to pray for Nick, his surgeons and the hospital staff. 

 Update 3/2/23… Nick has been home for about 3 months now continuing to recover and waiting for a small wound to heal before he can start fitting for a prosthetic. His doctors are pleased with his recovery post-amputation and Nick is very eager to get back out into the world. He wishes to return to TCU in the fall semester to finish his degree and his doctors agree that his goal is very achievable. We’re praying that this is the last hiccup in the road and that his path to regain a life of normalcy is finally beginning. Thank you all for taking the time to read about the strongest man I’ve ever met, my hero, my son, Nick.