Help Our Father, Frank Cassalle, Overcome Medical Hurdles

Please support us as our Father heals from complications due to a partial nephrectomy on May 9, 2024.

Earlier this year our father, Frank Cassalle, discovered a cancerous mass on one of his kidneys. As part of his intervention he was scheduled for a partial nephrectomy to remove the mass. At the same time his surgeon was going to repair an umbilical hernia. A “2-for-1 deal” sounded like a great plan.

Unfortunately, that was the high point of what has transpired since. After his initial two surgeries, our Dad was post-op and expected to be on the mend and headed home two days after to heal. Instead, immediately after his blood pressure and pulse kept dropping. It was suspected that there was some internal bleeding at the site of his kidney surgery. His only option was to go back in (go under anesthesia for an 2nd time in under 24 hours) and try to repair the bleed or remove the kidney altogether. Which was ultimately what had to be done. (A full nephrectomy).

Our father was finally out of surgery, for the second time, and hopefully for good. As he was recovering from the back to back procedures, he was given pain medication to manage the discomfort. At this point his body went into a slump, his blood pressure severely dropped just like the first time and so did his pulse.

The sudden slump was actually a shock to his body causing a heart attack brought on by the other kidney not picking up the load as intended, and this in turn led to ischemic hepatitis of his liver. Everything was failing. His lungs and heart had to be bolstered to get him through.

After 3 days of intubation and around the clock dialysis to ease the burden placed on his lungs of a non-functional kidney and meds we finally started to see progress and gained a bit of hope. But with every step forward there has been two steps back; such as, pneumonia, contracting two infections, requiring (4 so far) blood transfusion from his hemoglobin levels dropping very low, as a result of the surgeries and dialysis, and other details too unpleasant to share; but, nonetheless, has gotten us to where we are today.

Since the cascade of complications were unleashed it has been a very emotional and trying time for us all but our Dad is slowly starting to come through, yet he still has a long road ahead of him.

We are unsure if he will be able to return to work. And our mother has been taken time off to care for him as well and will need to continue to do so as we navigate his healing journey.

At this time he is fairly stable and is receiving conventional dialysis treatments 3x a week and (hopefully soon) will move to a rehabilitation facility (for an unknown length of time) to receive proper physical and occupational therapy paired with the dialysis.

It’s not like us to write and share something this personal as a family but

uncertainty around medical bills and rehabilitation is mounting with no simple solution in sight.

We are turning to GoFundMe to connect with those who may know or know of our Father and can sympathize with his and our position.

Thank you for your consideration, care and compassion. Looking forward to sharing his progress as he turns the corner on this next phase of healing.