My Brother's Cancer Battle
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Two plus years ago my brother set out to get two knee replacements so he would be able to walk his daughter down the aisle and dance with her at her wedding. The good news is that he did just that. The sad news is that during his knee replacement surgery, his lab work showed a bigger problem. He was diagnosed with bladder cancer and he was told he had maybe six months to live since it had spread throughout his body. Unable to accept that news, his family (his wife, sisters, brother, Mom, and kids) urged him to seek another opinion.
He moved on to another Doctor and completed six months of chemotherapy. However, his cancer would not be beaten and they decided to try immunotherapy. He only made it to one treatment (July 2020) before breaking a hip. Things were bleak.
Ricky and I decided to gather his children and celebrate the 2020 Fourth of July with a socially distanced "crabfest" in my back yard. To be honest, I was so frightened to have a group in my home as Ricky and I had been quarantining. No one had been in our home other than my daughters for months but I knew that my brother had to see his kids before he passed. They flew here to Florida from California and Ohio knowing it could be the last time they saw him.
The morning of the "crabfest" he fell down and fractured his hip. Turns out that it was a blessing. He never made it to the "crabfest" but since he was here in Orlando he was hospitalized and met a whole new set of doctors at Advent Health who believed that more surgery and radiation would prolong his life. He had hip repair and spinal surgery to partially remove tumors surrounding his spinal cord and then completed three weeks of in-patient rehab hoping to walk again.
Mostly wheelchair-bound (not for long we hope), he is unable to return to his elevated two-story home in SW Florida which is now under contract to sell. He moved into our home last summer with his wife to be close to the hospital and his doctors. His oldest daughter and husband temporarily left their home in Ohio and put their lives on hold to move in here for a few months while he conquered more physical therapy. My husband and I went from empty nesters to a family of seven!!!!! Whew! His daughter and husband have since moved back to Ohio. His children that live locally continue to support and see him.
These amazing Doctors now believe he may have more time! The new meds seem to be working! We are thrilled! Prayers are being answered daily.
For the first time in a year, my brother is making future plans!
He is working to find a place to live again with his wife in the Orlando area so he can be near Advent Health and his doctors. We need to raise funds to help pay his expenses, ADA retrofits for a new place, and co-pays not covered by his insurance. Please give if you can and thanks for listening! Also, Go Gators! (He will love that!)
He moved on to another Doctor and completed six months of chemotherapy. However, his cancer would not be beaten and they decided to try immunotherapy. He only made it to one treatment (July 2020) before breaking a hip. Things were bleak.
Ricky and I decided to gather his children and celebrate the 2020 Fourth of July with a socially distanced "crabfest" in my back yard. To be honest, I was so frightened to have a group in my home as Ricky and I had been quarantining. No one had been in our home other than my daughters for months but I knew that my brother had to see his kids before he passed. They flew here to Florida from California and Ohio knowing it could be the last time they saw him.
The morning of the "crabfest" he fell down and fractured his hip. Turns out that it was a blessing. He never made it to the "crabfest" but since he was here in Orlando he was hospitalized and met a whole new set of doctors at Advent Health who believed that more surgery and radiation would prolong his life. He had hip repair and spinal surgery to partially remove tumors surrounding his spinal cord and then completed three weeks of in-patient rehab hoping to walk again.
Mostly wheelchair-bound (not for long we hope), he is unable to return to his elevated two-story home in SW Florida which is now under contract to sell. He moved into our home last summer with his wife to be close to the hospital and his doctors. His oldest daughter and husband temporarily left their home in Ohio and put their lives on hold to move in here for a few months while he conquered more physical therapy. My husband and I went from empty nesters to a family of seven!!!!! Whew! His daughter and husband have since moved back to Ohio. His children that live locally continue to support and see him.
These amazing Doctors now believe he may have more time! The new meds seem to be working! We are thrilled! Prayers are being answered daily.
For the first time in a year, my brother is making future plans!
He is working to find a place to live again with his wife in the Orlando area so he can be near Advent Health and his doctors. We need to raise funds to help pay his expenses, ADA retrofits for a new place, and co-pays not covered by his insurance. Please give if you can and thanks for listening! Also, Go Gators! (He will love that!)
Organizer
Zoe Lapointe
Organizer
Longwood, FL