Good morning. Please keep in your prayers the Leahy family. Andy and his family are members at St. Mary Magdalen and they lost their son Chris after long hard battle with cancer. Chris posted his last journal entry in April. To show how strong a young man he was, I am posting it here for you to read…
Medical Update – 4/30/18
Upon arriving they ran more tests which indicated that not only was I incredibly low on blood counts, but I had a large blood clot from the left ankle up to my left hip. This caused them to immediately hospitalize me. Since this time I’ve been in the hospital doing treatment – as they discovered through MRI / Pet Scans that the cancer cells have attacked my T2, T6, and T12 vertebrae — which specifically with the T12 (one of your lowest vertebrae in your back) required extensive radiation – but the cancer had already wrapped around the spinal cord.
Additionally I had generated a large fracture in my left hip that required hip surgery – that was done on March 12th. We completed the surgery operation – everything went great according to the orthopedic doctors. This generated a large incision of 11.6 inches on my left hip as we continue to monitor that scar while it heals to assure no infections start.
In mid-April we discovered that the cancer attacked my vertebrae T12, and unfortunately paralyzed my body from the waist down that I cannot feel my legs or walk independently – and I have been confined to a hospital bed the last 16 days. I’m working very hard to regain that ability – as I’m determined to regain my ability to walk. I finished radiation just last week – and unfortunately we did not see the success that we had hoped to experience.
While we successfully killed the cancer cells – they were all wrapped around my T12 vertebrae as they died. I continue to fight to regain the ability to radiate the cancer cells each day for the past 16 days around my spinal cord – and won’t give up. But in the meantime, I am realizing I have to accept that I have no mobility or sensation from my knee down in either leg. Very frustrating as it’s keeping me from returning home or doing any of the normal activities at this point in life – and when I do one day hopefully return – it will require a retro-fitting of my home for a temporary wheelchair.
I certainly am fighting each step of the way – and refuse to stop pushing forward. Thank you for all the encouragement and support – as I’m incredibly grateful to each of you for your words of encouragement, support, help – (both financially and words of support) you share from time to time as it definitely makes a difference in this battle.
Love always,
Chris
Amen.
St. Mary Magdalen Men of God 