In Memory of Chris Joubert’s Fight Against Cancer
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Summary
As some of you may know, my brother Chris has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer that has turned his, Shannon’s (his fiancé) and even their sweet dog Sky’s world upside down. At 34 years old, he has been diagnosed with Dedifferentiated Chondrosarcoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer that doctors often say does not respond well to chemo or radiation. The only option left was to remove the tumor. Due to the pain prior to diagnosis and the time off for multiple doctors appointments, Chris has been unable to work. Shannon has also had to take substance time off work to remain his primary caregiver.
Chris underwent surgery to complete a proximal femoral replacement, during which the doctors were able to remove the tumor. However, this also required them to remove an additional 11 inches of his femur and replace it with a titanium "bone". While the doctors are confident they were able to remove a good area of margin around the tumor, Chris will still need chemotherapy and radiation as a precautionary and preventative measure to ensure the cancer is completely gone.
Chris’s care team and family are optimistic that his prognosis is excellent since the cancer was caught and treated early, but this journey is far from over. If you know us Jouberts, you know we are a stubborn, proud, and determined bunch. We are confident Chris will fight with everything in him.
Chris and Shannon are the kind of people who will do anything they can for those around them. They have huge hearts and are humble, proud, hard-working, and down-to-earth people. They would never ask for help themselves, so I’m stepping in to write this for them. They will need as much support as we can provide in the months ahead.
Not only will they need help with medical expenses, but they will also need assistance for their daily living expenses. Chris has used all his paid time off and will be unable to return to work for several months while he recovers. Shannon has also had to use all her paid time off work and is now taking unpaid time to assist Chris with appointments and caregiving. Additional funds will go towards providing the necessary services to ensure they are prepared for the upcoming brutal New Hampshire winter. We also hope to use these funds to make home modifications for Chris’s new needs, as he will be unable to climb stairs for many months while he recovers.
Any donation to help Chris and Shannon cover some of these expenses is greatly appreciated. If you are unable to provide monetary assistance, please send them positive, healing support.
Detailed Story and Updates (Updates to continue as we progress)
Chris has been battling lower back and hip pain for several months. He went to multiple doctors only to be told nothing was wrong, to try physical therapy, or to be more active. For those of you who know Chris, he is very active. He enjoys mountain and dirt biking, hunting, fishing, and many other activities. One orthopedist sent him to physical therapy. After several therapy sessions with no improvement, PT recommended he see a neurospine doctor for possible nerve impingement for a suspected herniated disk. Neurospine completed their exam and like the other doctors, did not determine any cause for his pain. At this point, his pain was so great that he had to start using a cane and crutches just to walk around. At one doctor's appointment, he was even told to stop using crutches, as it was causing muscle weakness and worsening his overall condition.
He then decided to seek another opinion at another orthopedic facility. Upon X-rays, they noticed there was an abnormality. His femur has significantly deteriorated, and an MRI would be needed for further determination. He was then told to continue using crutches and to be completely non-weight bearing on that leg. The MRI determined extensive damage to his bone structure, and a large tumor had grown. The orthopedist warned him that his femur was at a high risk of becoming fractured, and if this were to happen would only complicate things more.
A few days later, he had a biopsy of the tumor in his leg, and the results came back with a diagnosis of Dedifferentiated Chondrosarcoma. He was told surgery would be in a few days, but he needed other tests first.
Later that night, he was napping on his recliner and experienced a large cramp and immense pain in his sleep. He was brought by ambulance to Elliot Hospital, where they performed an x-ray which revealed a complete fracture of his femur bone. Unfortunately, Chris’ orthopedic oncologist team is associated with Dartmouth, so he was unable to receive a transfer to Dartmouth in Lebanon for four days. Elliot Hospital could only provide pain management while he waited for a bed to open at Dartmouth.
Finally, we got the news he was approved to head to Dartmouth to get his fracture repaired and remove the cancer.
Once he finally transferred to Dartmouth, the remaining scans were done. One of these found he had developed spots on his lungs. He had to have a biopsy of his lungs, which involved cutting through his deltoid, pectoral, and rib muscles to perform the biopsy. Results of this had determined these spots were blood clots. There is no telling how, when, or what caused these clots to develop.
On Wednesday, September 14, he was finally able to have surgery. Overall, the 6-hour surgery went well. Chris had almost 11 inches of his femur replaced in an effort to get a good margin away from the tumor growth. Due to this removal of his natural bone, and bone marrow, his hemoglobin levels became extremely low, and he needed a blood transfusion to help get his levels up. He received this on Sunday, which helped boost him a little bit, so he could get working with PT and OT in the hospital so he could get out of bed for the first time in over a week!!
Because of being non-weight bearing for about six weeks, several months of limited mobility, and the lung biopsy surgery compromising his upper body strength, Chris has lost a great deal of muscle mass.
September 20, Chris was transferred to an acute, in-patient rehabilitation wing of the Elliot, back in Manchester. He will spend some time here, working on regaining his strength and stamina. He will need it, as he has been informed that as a precautionary, preventative measure, Chris will have to start chemotherapy and radiation once he’s more ambulatory.
Hopefully now that he is in physical therapy/rehabilitation, he will be able to go home soon! Please keep him in your thoughts, prayers, good vibes, etc. as he continues to fight the fight!
Organizer
Stephanie Allen
Organizer
Hooksett, NH