Hello everybody. My name is Melissa. My good friends Lloyd Lamar and Marilyn Robles' son Alex, powered through the hardest four days of his life this last weekend. 
 
This last Sunday, June 30th, Alex woke up with a really bad headache and could not keep anything down. He developed a high fever and was taken to Sacred Heart Emergency Room. 
 
Upon arrival, he was placed on an IV to rehydrate him and was given some medication for his nausea and Tylenol for pain and fever. Alex continued to be monitored but still wasn't feeling well. At one point after hours of being nauseous, he stopped being able to see out of his left eye. He was almost immediately taken in for a CAT scan. The results of the CAT scan came back showing there was a mass behind his eye and that the next steps were an MRI. The MRI was completed early on Monday morning and the results came back that he did in fact have a tumor behind his eye and in his sinuses. 
 
Alex battled hard those first 48 hours at the hospital. He was agitated, he was not wanting to rest and even when he tried it was hard for him as he continued to fight off the fever and the sickness that brought him into the hospital in the first place. 
 
On Monday evening, the doctors decided to go ahead and biopsy the tumor to determine the pathology behind it and whether it is benign or malignant. Alex pulled through the biopsy with no issue and the family is currently still waiting for the results of the tumor's pathology. 
 
On Tuesday morning, Alex was a little bit more alert but still extremely tired, still battling a fever and still a bit agitated, so the doctors decided to complete a spinal tap. The results of the spinal tap showed Alex was battling meningitis. Many people know what meningitis is, the best way I can describe it... It is like your brain is on fire. Its a tough illness to kick and a dangerous one at that. They immediately started heavy antibiotics and let the family know that it would take several weeks to kill this infection. Step one was to kill the infection, then focus on the tumor. 
 
Come Tuesday evening, they found the antibiotics weren't working as best as they needed to be for Alex, so upon further testing it was determined that the meningitis was present mostly in his tumor, meaning that until they were able to breach the tumor, the antibiotics they were giving Alex weren't going to help him. The team at Sacred Heart determined late on Tuesday night that it was a must for Alex to go into surgery on Wednesday, and try to tackle this tumor so that they could treat the meningitis infection. 
 
The goal of the surgery was to remove the tumor, however the doctors did state that it might only be possible to break up the tumor then potentially go back at a different time to remove it completely. The surgery really depended on how Alex handled it and what they saw once they were in surgery. 
 
Alex took the news of what was happening to him like a champ. Very calm and cool. His attitude being. "I just want it out of there and this over with." He went into surgery at around 1:30pm on Wednesday and came out of surgery around 6:00pm 
 
The best news we received after continual bad news for days was that the surgeon was able to get 95% of the tumor out of Alex's brain and sinus cavity. Many hugs and tears were shed yesterday evening at the Sacred Heart PICU. 
 
However, we all know just because the tumor has been removed, doesn't mean that there isn't a long road ahead for Alex and his family. 
 
The family is still waiting on pathology on the tumor itself. Regardless of if it is benign or malignant, he is still being treated for meningitis. Because of where the tumor was, his sinus cavities are a bit of a mess and we don't know what kind of treatment he may need to get him back to 100%. 
 
This GoFundMe is to help Alex's family with anything and everything they may need to get him healthy and back on his feet and living a happy life like most 15-year-olds. 
 
Bills accumulate, time is taken off work and life still continues, even when you go through tragedy and struggle. Today's world and economy is hard enough as it is and the Lamar's could use our help. 
 
Alex is a vibrant, intelligent, funny, outgoing, young man. Anybody that knows him, knows love. He's a wonderful kid with a bright future ahead of him. He pulled through a life-threatening and life-changing surgery, but he's still fighting and he's going to be fighting for some time before he's back to his normal life. If you can and if you're willing, please feel free to donate to his GoFundMe to help his parents support him, during this difficult time. 
 
As of today, the 4th of July, Alex has woken up from his surgery, his biggest need was a grape slushie and his mom, dad, brother and family by his side. He has had mounds of people visit him at the hospital. He knows he is deeply loved and we are very happy that he made it through this really tough last few days. We will support him and continue to give him strength in the days to come. 
 
Please feel free to donate and I will continue to update everybody as time goes on. Thank you for taking time to read and thank you even more for taking time to support Alex and his family.

Tawny Smeltzer

Cathy Anderson

Kiel Engelson

Anonymous

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Efstathia Perivoliotis

Blaine Denton

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Maurilio Nuno Jr

Ilaisaane Dakunivosa

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Araceli Torres

Esmeralda Rodriguez

Susan Belote

Alex Lamar's Road to Recovery Fund

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Alex Lamar's Road to Recovery Fund

Still $39,970 to go. Help us build momentum.