Hey Guys,
Sorry it's been so long, but I just went to see my surgeon today and got an updated X-ray of my jaw. It's been about a year since he removed the ameloblastoma that was eating away at my bone/tissue in that area. The results could not have been better. There are no signs of recurrence whatsoever. After a year, my surgeon is MUCH more optimistic than he was after the initial surgery. The next step is to see a specialist in Miami to get his opinion on my care going forward. My doctor is still leaning towards more aggressive surgeries, and he said the first 3 years are the most dangerous, but good news is still good news and his tone is noticeably more upbeat. Please keep praying - the likelihood that I'll have to undergo aggressive treatment is still high, but I know that our God is still Jehovah-Rapha (the God who heals) and he has not, nor ever will forsake me. I can't even begin to express my gratitude to all of you who've stood by me, loved me, supported me, and prayed for me. My heart overflows with joy thinking about the outpouring of love I've received. My burden has been easily bearable because of your kindness. I will update you as soon as I hear back from the specialist. Please continue to pray for healing, insurance issues, and financial provision as I take the next step towards wrapping this part of my life up and moving on to something better.
May the Lord, our God, bless you all with his sweet presence and may your heart be filled with love.
~Brendan
"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him.'" - Lamentations 3:22-24
Showing posts with label ameloblastoma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ameloblastoma. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Update on my health - April 12th
I owe a HUGE debt of gratitude to Pamela Stergios and Jesse Wolf who together mastermind to raise funds to help me cover the massive cost of all my surgeries. They asked if they could send people here, so I figured I'd update you on my health from here, too.
It looks like I'll be heading to Shands hospital at UF (Gainesville, FL). The surgeon in Miami wouldn't take me without insurance, so we're going with GREAT option number two. My doctor is working on a referral now. I believe the plan will involve taking out my entire left side of the lower jaw and replacing it with bone from my hip. Later there will be skin grafts, implants, etc.. This is my best chance to beat this thing and never see it again. As it stands, I'm looking at about a year of surgery, hospitals, recovery, etc...to quote the doctor, "until you're starting to get happy again..." Well, I'm happy now, and don't intend to change anytime soon, thank you very much! I can't believe how many of you have donated in response to Pam and Jesse's request already, thank you for that. I'm working hard trying to find programs and whatnot to help offset some of the costs, but they are already mounting, and will certainly continue to do so, even if I get all the help that's available. Please continue to pray. I covet your prayers. God is faithful, and I know keep me, by his sufficient grace. I love you all.
~Brendan
Update on my health - from March 24
This was a note that I posted on facebook a couple of weeks ago when I got the diagnosis. Since my good friends Pam and Jesse are sending people here, I thought I'd repost it for reference.
I went to my surgeon today and found out that the biopsy came back as a Basal Cell Ameloblastoma. Basically, an aggressive tumor.It comes from cells that form teeth going awry and usually lays dormant until your late 20's or early 30's. It is very aggressive and if unchecked will destroy anything in its path as it rapidly spreads. So my doctor said there are no options, since it is often fatal when aggressive surgical measures aren't taken. In the initial surgery, they took it all away. However, there is an 95% chance it'll come back if we do nothing else, and if it comes back, it's always much worse (around a 30% mortality rate with recurrence). The solution is more surgery. The protocol calls for another centimeter and a half of bone or whatever to be cut out around where the cyst was (already over 5 cm). They will cut through my face, and there are lots of complications as it's a huge area they're removing, honestly I don't totally understand all of the implications, yet. I have to see a surgeon in Miami, who is the worlds best at this type of surgery. My surgeon said he'd fly from Africa to be seen by this guy if he were in my shoes, and I trust him. Of course, I don't have insurance, and so I'm really having to trust God to provide and hope the surgeon still takes me without it, as I am likely uninsureable at this point (as far as I know). I don't know how long I'll be out of commission, how many surgeries it'll take (skin grafts, reconstruction, etc...), or how much pain will be associated with it and for how long. I'm told that if the surgery goes well, my chances of beating this thing go up to 95%. I have another appointment on Wed. to talk with the Doctor more, and I'll be doing some research in the meantime. Thanks to everyone for their prayers. We serve a mighty God, who loves each of us beyond anything we could imagine, and knows all of our days from the first to the last. I'm reminded of Romans 8:
Romans 8:20-25
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
I know I have some pain coming, but all of it is "as in the pains of childbirth" and will lead to my ever increasing joy in Jesus. Every day I wake up to the goodness of God and this is a greater reality than any physical difficulties.
Whatever the process, I know that God is with me. Again, thank you for your prayers; I covet them. I look forward to seeing the other side of this and moving on. To God be the glory.
~Brendan
I went to my surgeon today and found out that the biopsy came back as a Basal Cell Ameloblastoma. Basically, an aggressive tumor.It comes from cells that form teeth going awry and usually lays dormant until your late 20's or early 30's. It is very aggressive and if unchecked will destroy anything in its path as it rapidly spreads. So my doctor said there are no options, since it is often fatal when aggressive surgical measures aren't taken. In the initial surgery, they took it all away. However, there is an 95% chance it'll come back if we do nothing else, and if it comes back, it's always much worse (around a 30% mortality rate with recurrence). The solution is more surgery. The protocol calls for another centimeter and a half of bone or whatever to be cut out around where the cyst was (already over 5 cm). They will cut through my face, and there are lots of complications as it's a huge area they're removing, honestly I don't totally understand all of the implications, yet. I have to see a surgeon in Miami, who is the worlds best at this type of surgery. My surgeon said he'd fly from Africa to be seen by this guy if he were in my shoes, and I trust him. Of course, I don't have insurance, and so I'm really having to trust God to provide and hope the surgeon still takes me without it, as I am likely uninsureable at this point (as far as I know). I don't know how long I'll be out of commission, how many surgeries it'll take (skin grafts, reconstruction, etc...), or how much pain will be associated with it and for how long. I'm told that if the surgery goes well, my chances of beating this thing go up to 95%. I have another appointment on Wed. to talk with the Doctor more, and I'll be doing some research in the meantime. Thanks to everyone for their prayers. We serve a mighty God, who loves each of us beyond anything we could imagine, and knows all of our days from the first to the last. I'm reminded of Romans 8:
Romans 8:20-25
20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
I know I have some pain coming, but all of it is "as in the pains of childbirth" and will lead to my ever increasing joy in Jesus. Every day I wake up to the goodness of God and this is a greater reality than any physical difficulties.
Whatever the process, I know that God is with me. Again, thank you for your prayers; I covet them. I look forward to seeing the other side of this and moving on. To God be the glory.
~Brendan
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