Help Geno Gallegos Battle Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma

My dad, Geno Gallegos, is one of the strongest men I know. He's battling Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma for the second time.

In 2013, Geno was diagnosed. The doctors acted quickly, and the treatment was quite aggressive. They ended up performing a craniotomy and found that the 4cm tumor in his sinus cavity had invaded more than they anticipated, wrapping around his optic nerve. As a result, my father lost his eye. The surgery, which originally started well, ended with complications. It lasted 18 hours and was touch and go, but he recovered quite gracefully. After undergoing radiotherapy for a short time, he received a letter about 8 months later stating that he appeared to be in remission.

Fast forward to October 2021, and we received the dreaded news once again.

This time is different from the first. He was experiencing rib pain, thinking it might be out of place. After trying chiropractic care, he finally shared this odd pain with his doctor. Scans revealed new masses, and the cancer had returned, causing great discomfort in new areas.

Further imaging found another mass in his head, above the temporal area and growing towards his skull. This diagnosis prevented him from working and greatly altered his life. The treatment plan this time has been anything but smooth, prioritizing the most pressing issues before addressing others.

The head mass didn't seem to cause discomfort, but it was definitely growing.

In March 2022, they performed another craniotomy to remove the tumor. This surgery wasn't as long but was equally complicated. They removed a fist-sized tumor, unable to remove it entirely. During the intubation procedure, they discovered that his jaw wouldn't fully open due to a tumor pressing on the nerves. They opted for a nasal intubation, resulting in a longer recovery than expected.

Nasal intubation isn't a great option for long-term sedation (more than 48 hrs).

Post-surgery, his stats weren't presenting well, leading to concern. They needed his stats to maintain a certain level to pull him off sedation and the ventilator.

This hurdle led to another surgery for a tracheotomy to move the intubation to his trachea, aiming to improve his stats and bring him out of sedation.

The second surgery was successful but came with its own recovery, putting him up against the odds. His stay at Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center was longer and more extensive than expected, all in the hope of his health.

The next step was to start recovery and find a clinical trial to fight the inoperable cancer that had spread throughout his body.

This part of the journey seemed never-ending. We were constantly worried and anxious. While healing from the surgery, his discomfort mainly stemmed from his lungs. Over time, his doctors called him to share the news that he had been accepted into a trial.

He had joined, and the treatment required numerous trips to Denver. As it was a trial, it had to be done there. This continued for about 9 months, and he started experiencing side effects outweighing the benefits of the treatment. Although the treatment showed shrinkage, it took a toll on him. The doctors and he discussed alternatives and went back to the drawing board to find another trial. Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma is rare and incurable. Trials and the power of prayer are our only options.

After going through several more trials, today he is on a new treatment with unique and challenging side effects.

My dad wakes up every day to face his disease and cherish life. He has much to live for: his three children and five grandchildren. His circle is filled with incredible people.

I want us to come together as a community to help him in this difficult time. I constantly wish I could just eliminate cancer and let him wake up feeling better, but we can only support him in this uncertain time and show him how loved he is.

This isn't the path any of us expected him to take. He has shown everyone that he isn't willing to give up. It would mean the world to him, me, and our entire family if you could donate to the cause and help my dad, Geno, fight this battle.

-Alexus Garcia