Jeff Head
be not dismayed; for I am thy God:
I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee;
yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isaiah 41:10
Posted by Jeff at his Facebook page December 28, 2009
Posted by Jeff at his Facebook page December 28, 2009
just saw this.
prayers for Jeff and his family.
hope you get well soon
Prayers on the way for one of the good guys...
God Bless You and Keep You and Heal You.
Amen,
Barb
Prayers up for an icon here on FR.
Prayers for Jeff Head.
Wanted to let a few old time freepers (like me) who probably know Jeff, about this.
Jeff, hang in there, and know M.D. Anderson is the right choice. I hate to repeat myself, but I think you need to know this TRUE story.
In the 1980s, I working as a newspaper reporter for a bi-weekly in Sulpher, La. I had to write an article about the president of the local cancer society. She was a sweet elderly lady.
She told me that she had been given, by her doctors, about six months to live — 18 YEARS EARLIER.
She told me TWO things were responsible for her survival:
1. She refused to let this beat her.
2. She got the VERY BEST treatment available — M.D. Anderson.
You also have many prayers; esteemed freeper.
May the Lord bless and keep you....and make His Face shine upon you...
....and bring you Peace.
Prayers up.
Done and BUMPING #1362.
John Armor
5.56mm
It is so humbling...and also so uplifting to see and feel the help of so many good people. I thank you from the bottom of my heart from myself, and in behalf of my entire family. I only look forward to the time when I can overcome this (with God's help and in His will), and be once again in a position to help others as I am being helped.
Here's the latest update to my situation after a call we received on Friday from MD Anderson:
23rd Entry. Saturday March 26th, 2010, 1:30 PM
Nurse Sanchez from Dr. Rhines office contacted us late Friday. We are definitley on for the two surgeries on Tuesday, April 27th, and Friday April 30th.
They are now scheduling us to have individual meetings with each of the four surgical team that will be involved with the surgeries, as well as additional CT and MRI scans. They would like us to be in Houston prepared to start those appointments on April 12th.
So, Gail and I will be leaving early on April 9th and driving down to Houston. We may leave on April 8th, depending on the weather and how many miles of travel I can handle each day. I find that generally the day or two after changing my Fentanyl pain pacthes I fare better than the last day and a half or so between them.
Now the time for the surgery is coming quickly...even though I wish it did not have to be so, and am certainly not "looking forward" to itbut I am ready for it to arrive. It is a daunting and challening time that lies ahead, and I know that during the recovery and rehab my situation and condition will probably be worse than anything I have experienced thus far. But, I will at least know from a medical perspective that I am on a course that gives me the hope for progress and recovery, whereas current conditions hold only the promise for continually, steadily decreasing health and conditions as the cancer grows.
I know the good Lord has led me to the most cpabale medical hands available to treat this condition, and I know He is leading many people to He and His Son as a result of it. I am grateful for that knoweldge beyond words, and equally grateful for all of the compassion, help, prayers, faith, encouragement, and Christ-like things that have been done for myself and my family by so many caring, good souls all across this nation.
I thank each of you from the bottom of my heart and continue to witness of God and His will, and His Son, Jesus Christ. A love of God and His Son and an understanding and acceptance of the Atonement of Jesus Chrst for each of us is the sure path to happiness and healing that exists for any person. Irrespective of circumstance, of hardship, of travail, mistakes, errors, sin. sickness,..whatever ails you body, heart or soul. I am grateful for that knowledge and share it freely with all who read.
Please continue to remember us in your thoughts and prayers as we approach this very difficult experience and the four months, God-willing, of recovery and rehab that follow it.
Sincerely and in Christ,
Jeff
FR has always been Jeff's domain, but I want to thank everyone for all your prayers and support during this difficult time. It means a great deal to know there are so many caring people.
I'm sure Jeff will do some more posting before his surgeries and I will try to keep it going during his recuperation. Thanks again from the bottom of my heart!
Well, here we are back in Houston.
It was a real struggle getting down here. The day before we left I had to go into the hospital in Boise with a severe sickness...they think it was either a severe case of stomach flu or some type of infection. It really threw me off my mark. I wondered whether I was going to be able to make it down to Houston at all. On Sunday (last, 4/11) I felt a little better and we scheduled to leave Monday after they released me...but then Monday morning I felt much worse again. Hot and cold...sweating one moment freezing the next. Couldn't eat. I finally had to tell the Dr. I didn't think I could be released Monday and that was a real blow. So much tiome and effort had been put into the upcoming surger schedule and medically, that surgery was the path to a potential medical treatment that could alleviate this cancer.
But as always, everything is in God's Hands. We do our best and then wait upon His will to be revealed and it is up to us to acknowledge that will and its goodness.
But then, a though from above, came into my mind to remember the lesson I learned earlier in this entire episode about anxiety and depression and I asked the Dr. about it. He indicated he supposed some of my latest symptoms could be related to that and so he called one of the oncologists and talked to him about my tumor and its impact. It was Dr. Zuckerman whom we had originall talked to in Idaho there in Meridian, St. Luke's. He agreed.
So, they proscribed some concoction to address the anxiety and within the hour I felt MUCH better. They kept me around for 2-3 more hours and then released me. Gail and I left that aternoon.
We drove all the way across Amrica again. The last day I felt pretty bad and Gail; drove...but it was miraculous that we were able to get away that MOnday and ultimately arrive here in Houston.
We had been and continue to concer ourselves with finances. What we have taken from savings, borrowed, and what has been sent to us (and thank you o all from the bottom of our hearts for your kindness and generosity), did not seem like it would cover they types of needs I would be having after the surgery during the long rehab.
We were going to start just staying in the hotel across from MD Anderson but did not think we would have the funds for that entiore time. Then, literally, as we drove into the Houston City Limits, we got a call from a place we had put ourselves on several months ago for a waiting list. Faith Lutheran Church has a ministry outreach to cancer patients at MD Anderson. They maintain a house with six rooms that share commom eating and common areas with individual rooms and bathrooms. We did not feel to good about that particular arrangement, particularly when I would be in the hospital and Gail alone for that month, and then also for the type of facilities I will need after surgery.
But they also have two complete apartments, ground level, fully-handicapped outfitted and secure entries within their own church parking only 3 1/2 miles from MD Anderson. That was what we had hoped for when putting in on that list...but there are only two of them and they are so needed by so many. Well, as we drove into Houston, one of those very apartments had come up and was available. We literally drove there, signed the paper work and are now in one of those at an unbelievably reasonable rate.
I am huimbled beyond words...the Lord's Hand is in this, for His purposes, and I confess it to all...to show His hand in each of our lives is enough.
We hope to be able to stay here the whole time but will have to see. As it is the good Lord answered our prayers and the prayers fo so many othes in this travail.
Now we have a VERY busy week full of tests meetings, scans, etc. By Wednesday or Thursday we should know if any other cancer has developed. As you can imagine we are anxious about that...but also know that it is in the hands of our loving Father in Heaven and His Son Jesus Christ. If none has developed, then a week from Tuesday I will embark on the daunting course of the major surgeries, long recovery, long rehab, and proton radiation in an effort to medically treat and halt the cancer.
I will try, as I am feeling up to it, to get back on these updates later in the week and then just before suregery once again.
And...once again, our heartfelt thanks to all who are praying for us, encouraging us, helping us, and exerting their faith on our behalf. Our words cannot express our feelings, but our hearts can and we love you as brothers and sisters in Christ and children of our mutual Father in Heaven.
In Christ,
Jeff
Get better soon Jeff and know that there is not a better place on the planet to be if you have cancer. I know because I spent allot of time there while they cured my wife Amy.
We have now visited with the surgical teams tht will be involved in our upcoming surgery, and have conducted and been through all of the CT scans and MRI tests. It has been a whirlwind of activity and I have to tell you, when you are feeling the tumor's effect on you, and feeling the side effects of the pain meds and other meds they have you on it is not an easy thing to go through.
But, we have done so and today we got the word back from Dr. Rhines.
No new cancer at this point! And the cancer that is there in my sacrum and the small spots in the illieum has not grown appreciably, certainly no more than they would expect.
This is good news from our perspective and we are grateful that the Lord God, in His Mercy, established His will accordingly. it means that our surgery can go forward with the best prospect available for slowing, or potetnially even stopping the disease.
In the past two days I have signed away my concent for every way imagineable that my life might be ended or severelly effected by these procedures imaginable. The Drs., each of them have now explained in exquisite detail what they will be doing. Again, I say, it is a miracle in and of itself what they can attempt through modern medicine these days. Such truths as they have gathered, in my faith, comes from God. All truth iminates forth to mankind from God through His Holy Spirit for our benefit. These dedicated professionals, who are dedicated to serving, saving, and helping their fellowman (which in and of itself is God's work), have been richly blessed with a great measure of truth which they apply to the good of others. There is a special, christ-like spirit about it that radiates from their christ-like desire to help others and I thank God in Heaven for it.
As it is now, I have a sigmoidoscopy tomorrow morning. This will take several hours and will help determine the shape and functioning and postion of my rectum for the surgery. Saurudray and Sunday we have free, but then MOnday morning we are preadmitted and then screened for the proper anisthesia for the surgery. This will be another critical process to determine what anisthesia to give me so my body will react well to it. Given what all they intend, it is important that we do not have an adverse reaction.
Then, about 5:30 AM on Tuesday (April 27th) I will be admitted and my 1st surgery will occur around noon. It will be 6-8 hours and will position my veins and vascula componenets where they are least vulnerable, and most accessabe as needed for the second surgery. They will also take one set of my abs (one of my three packs) with all three muscles, its meat and tissue and set them aside with their own natural blood-supply to be used later in the 2nd operation to fill the gap left by the removed sacrum. Dr. Rhines and Dr. Garvey (the plastic surgeon) has proven that this procedure significantly lessens infection, blood clots, and rejection. They will also take one of my thibia bones from a leg and prepare it to be structure that will back-up and fuse the metal they will put in during the 2nd surgery. That bone will need its own blood supply too, so they will strip a major vein from my ankly up to my thigh to be used for that purpose. Ultimately this will provide the needed structure...my own bone and tissue fed by my blood, to fuse and srengthen the titaniuam that otherwise, over a period of years, would come lose. Finally, they position cutting saws in precise place from the anterior so they can get at them in the 2nd surgery to make the cuts to the sacrum
Then, three days later (the 30th), they perfrom the second surgery from the posterior. After opening me up, they clear the area around the sacrum and then make the cuts...delicately working with whatever nerve roots and endings they can preserve. Once the cuts are made and the sacrum removed, they then fill the void with the flap created from my one set of abs, and then create the titanium/bone structure to rebuild the structural component to carry my wieght. This operation can take over 12 hours and if it looks to be going too long to the point of causing any fatigue with the team...then they would finish it in a 3rd surgery three days later.
So this is my path. I know it it the path the Lord has set me on...a path to bolster my faith and for me to witness His goodness in ALL things, that His WIll is best for me, for my family, for my friends...in short, His will is best for us all because it allows hearts to be touched and minds to be swayed, of their own free will, towards Him and to salvation in His Son Jesus Christ.
I hope to be able to write more before these surgeries...but if not, know I go in with my eyes wide open, and I do so praising my Father in Heaven and His Son. I know their paths lead to good. I know their paths lead to happiness and eternal joy and salvation in Jesus Christ.
"Trust in the Lord wih all thy heart, and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy way acknowledge Himand He will direct they paths. Be not wie in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones." Proverbs 3: 5-8
"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phil 4:13
"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Thee, because he trusteth in Thee." Isaiah 26:3
"Come unto me all ye that labour and are are heavy laden and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and ye shall find rest to your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." Matthew 12:28-30
I testify to all...particularly to my own children and grand-children, that these things are true. They are the fundamental truths of the ages, the boon to individuals, pillars to families, and strength to nations...including the liberty of nations. Hold fast to them and be strong and be free...depart from them and fall into bondage, either personal or to tryants, it is the same.
Once again my eternal thanks and gratitude to all who have helped my family and myself as we have faced this difficulty. There are so many to name...and the crisis and its impact if far from over. In fact, in many ways, it is just now, at this date, finally getting started.
Just the same. it has been so humbling and at the same time so inspiring. We live in a good land, full of good people. The path has not been lost. Have faith in your fellow man, and in your fellow Americans! May God in Heaven bless you each for helping us, may He pour at the blessings ten fold on you and yours. I know He will...it is how He blesses His Children. I look forward to the day, not terribly distant in this life, if He so wills it, when I can again return to helping others in this same manner again, as I have been helped.
...and if not, then so be it. I will greet you in the clouds when I return with my Savior. For as surely as I breath, the great Redeemer, full of mercy, love, and charity will return to this earth one day and cleanse it of all hurt, heartache, misery and sin. I look forward to that day, whether I see Him come in the air, or whether I am there with Him.
I will write again as soon as I am able. Watch for updates from my dear, wonderful wife...the love of my life, Gail, or from others.
Sincerely, in humility, and in liberty and Christ,
Jeff Head
Nam Vet
Jeff, I have enjoyed your brilliant mind for many years here. I have noted, too, your support for others, many times, in this situation. I truly wish you all the best.
SupplySider
God be with him and his.
His postings always excellent. Prayers goes up!!!