Stranded with Brain Cancer Abroad

Damien Henning is organizing this fundraiser.

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The Story..........

For the month of October 2019, I was taking a casual trip around Europe, mostly visiting some friends.

Well, the night before I was to fly home, I started to feel what I THOUGHT was a muscle cramp in my right calf (nothing new for me).

But, it turned out to be a TERRIFYING FULL BLOWN SEIZURE of my right leg (from the hip socket all the way to the toes)!

It felt like LIGHTNING had struck my leg, and ALL my leg muscles were contracting uncontrollably. It only lasted about 30 seconds, but it was SO EXHAUSTING I was COMPLETELY out of breath when it finally ended like I had just been running (I actually tried holding my right leg down with BOTH my arms AND my left leg, but it was no use. It still flailed away).

I did some online research, and I THOUGHT I had a blood clot.

Well, the next day I was in Heathrow Airport in London, waiting to check in for my flight back to the USA, when I had ANOTHER leg seizure (so violent it literally knocked me out of a chair I was sitting in!).

I decided then that whatever was happening to me MIGHT be more serious than I blood clot, and I didn't think that taking a 9-1/2 hour flight over the Atlantic was the best idea.

I went to a local hospital in England, and they gave me a CT Scan.

About an hour after the scan,

"Well, we hate to break this to you, but it looks as though you have cancerous TUMORS in your brain!"

At this point, it felt like time stopped and my life was flipped on its head.

They insisted I be admitted to the hospital ward, IMMEDIATELY, (which was easier said than done considering they were full to capacity, so they told me to sleep on an examination table, where I had yet ANOTHER seizure that night which caused further immobility to my right leg, and NOW it was starting to affect the motor function of my right ARM as well! It felt like I was slowly becoming paralyzed, and it was TERRIFYING).

I stayed in that hospital for about 8 days, needing to use a "walker" just to get around (it was humbling AND HUMILIATING). From what I could see it looked like I was the ONLY person there under 60!

Eventually, I graduated to "Elbow Crutches".

The next two weeks were a flurry of activity.

Consultations with brain surgeons, visits from friends and family from the USA (and England AND Australia!).

My elderly parents flew out to England too (not an easy or cheap endeavor for either of them considering they have medical issues of their own, and they're not exactly "wealthy"). I tried to dissuade them from doing it, but parents will do what parents will do, and I was happy to have them with me, and SO grateful for their support.

My Mom and I!

Me and Dad!

And of course there were other fun little side adventures like having my "Hospital Ward Neighbor" throw his food and drink at me because he thought I was a zombie! (no Joke!)

Obviously not in his right mind and more than a little delirious. But still annoying!

And of course, as the tumors were growing rapidly, we had to schedule an extraction surgery to get the biggest of the 3 out ASAP.

For this trip to Europe I DID have traveler's insurance. But it expired on the day I was supposed to fly back from Heathrow, and it only covered accidents and injuries, nothing "chronic".

I always thought if I had some sort of medical emergency abroad it would be due to a car accident or falling off of a mountain. NOT getting BRAIN cancer out of the blue!

Had I been home (in the USA) when all this hit me, my insurance would have covered the hospital stay, the countless CT and MRI scans, and the surgeries (craniectomy/extraction surgery + gamma radiation surgery), and countless prescription medications they put me on.

So, I thought to myself "just get home ASAP"! But, considering my recent seizures and the fact that I had THREE TUMORS in my brain, EVERY DOCTOR said I COULD NOT FLY! I looked into coming back via ship so I could stay at sea level, but the amount of time that would have taken was un-realistic. And these tumors KEPT GROWING FAST, so I needed to get started with treatment.

So, even though I didn't/don't know how the heck I was going to pay for it, I scheduled the surgery for the removal of the largest and fastest growing tumor at a hospital in Oxford. Even though I wanted to have the procedure done in the USA (mostly because I'd be covered there), I was stranded in the UK.

The surgery team did a great job on the extraction, and they got that BIG TUMOR the hell OUT of my Brain!

The bad news, I still didn't/don't know how I was going to pay for the procedure (or any of my OTHER bills from the UK for that matter).

At this point there were STILL two tumors in my brain, but I was told that it would be possible to remove them with a radiation procedure called the "Gamma Knife".

BUT, I was told the "Gamma Knife" procedure would ONLY be effective while the remaining tumors were BELOW a certain size. And all the evidence thus far indicated they were BOTH growing FAST.

So, with the pressure of "tick-tock", and knowing that the Doctors/Surgeons STILL didn't recommend that I fly, I scheduled the Gamma Knife procedure to be done in London.

I got to wear this "Gladiator meets Boba Fett" head stabilizer helmet for THIS treatment. And, yes, those ARE in fact screws going into my skull to make sure my head doesn't wiggle during the treatment.

The GOOD news is, that I WAS eventually cleared to fly, so I was able to fly back to my home in Colorado (where I am now!) without incident!

I'll be fighting the rest of this fight from the "comfort" of my own home, state, and country!

I know in all of these photos I'm giving big ol' Thumbs Ups. But I'm just trying to maintain a "Brave Face" and keep a positive attitude.

But make no mistake. This is probably the scariest, most stressful thing I've ever gone through. Truth be told, I still don't know how this is going to turn out (regardless of whether or not the crowdfunding is successful). I plan on fighting this with everything I have, but there are no guarantees that I'll come out victorious.

I haven't had a good night's sleep in weeks (since October) before the first seizure when this nightmare began, so the exhaustion/sleep deprivation is also starting to take its toll.

Now, I realize that $45,000 dollars is a LOT of money.

This is just what I owe from the what I spent on treatment in the UK.

1. Scans (CT's and MRI's) I had to have done in the UK.
2. 11 total nights in the Hospital.
3. Surgical Extraction procedure of the BIG TUMOR #1 in Oxford.
4. Radiation procedure for Gamma Knife procedure #1 in London.
5. Medication they stuffed me with like dressing into a Thanksgiving Turkey!

This all adds up to approximately £32,500 pounds, which at today's (12-12-19) exchange rate, is approximately $45,000.

If you CAN donate something, ANYTHING, I'll be more grateful than I can express.

If you can't donate, no problem! Kinds words, vibes and thoughts go a LONG way as well!

"While on our journey through life there may sometimes be some tough hills to hike. On these uphill walks it is beautiful to know that we never walk alone.
It gives serenity to accept the things we can not change - the courage to change the things we can - and the wisdom to know the difference.
The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."

Thank You for reading this LONG WORDY OVERLY DETAILED account :)

Sincerely Yours,

Christopher Damien Henning