Dave Williams Recovery Fund

Dear Friends,

Dave Williams is a strong, active Air Force veteran who served in the Gulf War.  He currently works for Toyota as a service writer.  He loves mountain biking, camping and spending time in the outdoors, and he loves spending time at his home in the country with his wife Heidi and their dogs.  

On July 11, 2019, Dave Williams was diagnosed with a tumor on his spine called Myeloma, a tumor resulting from a type of malignant  blood cancer that causes white blood cells to go awry and seek out bone marrow to consume.  This particular tumor had completely destroyed Dave’s T2 vertebrae and was working on destroying T1 and T3.  It had also consumed the spinal fluid around his spinal chord, leaving nothing but the tumor wrapped around his nerve cluster.   Other peripheral damage to his spine and rib heads was fairly extensive, leaving Dave basically handicapped and barely able to walk.  

Dave was sent to Duke University Hospital in Durham, NC, which is a top research hospital in the United States and specializes in neurosurgery.   He was assigned one of the top neurosurgeons at Duke for treatment.

On July 18, 2019, Dave underwent a 13 hour surgery to remove the tumor, rebuild about a 12 inch section of his spine using titanium rods and pins, and restructure and restore the area around the missing T1-T3 vertebrae with a titanium cage. Prior to surgery, the neurosurgeons were confident that they could place the rods and pins, but doubtful that they would be able to successfully remove the tumor or build the cage, due to the high risk of him bleeding out, becoming paralyzed, and the proximity of the cage to his aorta, and because to do both they would be virtually working blind.  However, all three procedures were necessary for the complete restoration of Dave’s spine in order for him to return to normal life.  

The surgical team successfully placed all of the rods and pins in just a couple of hours.  Once they began removing the tumor, they would be committed to completion.  However, the tumor began to bleed heavily.  The surgical team only had a few minutes to completely remove the tumor without nicking Dave’s spinal chord before he completely bled out and died.  Dave lost virtually all of the blood in his body.  Fortunately, the surgical team was able to successfully transfuse 4 units of blood, remove the tumor and stabilize him.

Next, the surgical team had to blindly build a cage in the collapsed, gaping hole where his broken and eaten T1-T3 vertebrae were.  This cage was to expand and stabilize his spine back to its normal position.  The cage needed to be built on the front portion of his spine, so the surgeons had to work blind, around and underneath the front part of his exposed spinal chord, right next to his aorta.  

The long procedure was intense.  When it was finally over, the lead surgeon came out to brief Heidi on the surgery.  He was drenched in sweat.  But he said that the surgery had been a complete success.  Even he seemed amazed.  Heidi told him that hundreds if not thousands of people had been praying for him and his team throughout the surgery.  He declared, “That made all the difference.”  

Because of the extensive blood loss, Dave’s lungs filled with fluid, which required a three day stay in the ICU.  Dave was then transferred to the neurological wing at Duke for another 6 days, where he began PT and underwent continued monitoring and management of a blood clot that formed on his lungs.  

Dave was sent home on July 27 to begin recovery.  He was assigned in-home physical therapy to help him begin to restore full use of his legs.  He will likely require some outpatient rehab after his spine heals enough to bend, twist and bear weight, which will take 6-8 weeks following surgery.  Dave will also be undergoing radiation and/or chemotherapy to kill any remaining cancer cells.  He will be required to return to Duke University for follow-ups with his surgeons for a few months.  He may also need continued oncology treatment and/or clinical trials to eliminate any remaining or recurring cancer cells in his blood.

Dave will be out of work for an undetermined length of time.... possibly a few to several months.  He will require around the clock care for several weeks.  Heidi, of course, will be his full-time  “nurse”.  It may take up to a year and a half before complete use of his legs returns.  

Throughout this entire ordeal, Dave and Heidi have been surrounded by love and support and continual, non-stop prayers.  There are so many things that could have gone wrong prior to and during his diagnosis and surgery.  God has faithfully protected and cared for Dave.   Right before surgery, while viewing his scans, Dave asked his doctor, “What has been holding my spine together?”  His doctor shrugged and replied, “Nothing.  God.  God is holding your spine together.”

The neurosurgeons have all admitted that Dave’s surgery was never expected to be successfully completed in all three stages.  Not only was it completed, but, thanks to our Heavenly Father, every single bit of hardware placed in his spine is perfectly positioned,  without one piece of metal out of place!  Although there will always be a slight risk of a pin backing out before complete fusion takes place, conditions are “ideal” (their words) for a complete recovery with no complications!  

The surgeons have admitted more than once that prayers made all the difference during surgery, that because of the prayers of hundreds if not thousands of friends, family, and strangers, his surgery was not only beyond successful, but his prognosis is for complete healing and recovery of his spine!  Every member of his surgical team, every nurse ... all were amazed at the miraculous hand of God at work.  The fact that all three procedures were able to be completed, AND that there was not one error, AND that Dave made it through the surgery and is expected to make a full recovery, are all miracles.

Dave has a long road ahead of him.  He will be out of work for a lengthy amount of time; he will require months of physical therapy and ongoing oncology treatments, initially and then periodically, unless God chooses to miraculously heal his body of cancer (which is our prayer).   The oncology team along with Dave and Heidi plan to explore alternative treatment options, including clinical trials, in the event that the cancer may have spread.  

Dave and Heidi will need financial assistance in order to cover the medical bills, therapies and treatments incurred throughout this ordeal, past and future, which are not covered under Dave’s insurance.   They will also need help covering the cost of return trips to Duke for follow ups as well as day to day living expenses.  

Please help Dave and Heidi get through this incredibly trying time.  If you are unable to give financially right now, please cover them in your prayers!   Specifically, pray for complete healing of all potentially remaining cancer, as well as strength and courage for the coming challenges ahead, and provision for all emotional, financial and physical needs.  Our God is Jehovah Rapha.  He is Healing... Healing is our Savior’s character.  If He chooses, He is certainly capable!  And we are asking for and believing in nothing less!   Regardless of anything else, He is Jehovah, the Great I Am, and we can be at peace knowing that that is enough.  

Thank you.  

Dave and Heidi