UPDATE: GOOD NEWS EVERYONE;
MITCHELL HAS RETURNED TO HIS HOME PROVINCE OF NOVA SCOTIA!
Mitchell is only 22yr old and fighting for his life after a diagnosis of a spinal tumor and now paralysis. He requires an Air Ambulance to return to his local hospital in Halifax, NS from Toronto where he is being treated- Cost is $20,000.00. Lets help this Nova Scotia family get their son back to their home province.
Here is his story as submitted by his parents.
In June of 2016, Mitchell was (mis)diagnosed to have a neurofibroma. His nerve pain increased as he was awaiting a consult and firm surgery date. On November 2nd when he experienced pins and needles and numbness chest down, he was sent by ambulance from Amherst to Halifax but was not admitted.
After several phone calls the following day, medications were prescribed and a rushed MRI was scheduled. Following the results of the MRI Mitchell was admitted to the QE2.
He has now been in hospital since November 5th, 2016. He was eventually diagnosed with a malignant peripheral nerve sheath sarcoma, triton tumor. The removal of which necessitated removal of three vertebrae, attached ribs, part of the right chest wall, severing of three nerves and a spinal reconstruction.
When removed, two margins of the tumor were deemed positive. Less than a week following surgery, the medical team worked to find the cause of his low hemoglobin counts. Some exploration determined that a coil was needed to repair an arterial tear. Unfortunately that was not the primary cause of bleeding and 10 days following initial surgery, Mitchell became paralyzed. Emergency surgery was performed to remove a hematoma that had compressed his spinal cord. Fortunately, his paralysis was reversed but this made time at the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre necessary.
Following a December consultation (in Halifax) with an oncologist, Mitchell travelled to Toronto to the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre for further consultation the beginning of January.
Most of January was spent in Toronto having many scans and creating a positioning mask in preparation for radiation treatment.
Near the end of January further decline in mobility became obvious. On January 26th he was admitted to the Emergency Department at Toronto Western. On January 27 it was determined that a tumor was actively growing in his spinal canal causing damage once again. A team of medical professionals, including personnel from Nova Scotia, determined that the tumor was inoperable. He became an inpatient at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Emergency radiation therapy began the following day. Unfortunately this intervention was not sufficient to ward off full paralysis from chest down due to the spinal cord damage caused by the tumor. As the tumor grew further, Mitchell’s fine motor function, hand and arm strength were also affected.
He is nearing the end of his radiation treatments and looking forward to returning to his home province for rehabilitation and eventually to his home in Oxford, Nova Scotia.
Throughout this whole journey Mitchell has remained positive and has tackled challenges and obstacles with determination.
Some fundraising efforts have been made on Mitchell’s behalf. The costs of adaptive equipment and home renovations for his continued care will be overwhelming. We are appreciative for any support that is available, as the full cost of a private medical flight is beyond our reach.