Nineteen Surgeries, One Team: How Lakeland Regional Health Saved Chris Cheatwood’s Leg and Life

Nineteen Surgeries, One Team

How Lakeland Regional Health Saved Chris Cheatwood’s Leg and Life

Nineteen surgeries, eight weeks, one tumor, and endless hope. When Chris Cheatwood’s health rapidly began to fail, he placed his trust in Lakeland Regional Health to save his life — and he’s thankful he did.

“If I had to leave Lakeland Regional Health, I simply wouldn’t. They never gave up on me. From chemotherapy and learning how to walk again, to saving my life and holding my wife’s hand, they cared about me through it all.”

- Chris Cheatwood

Born at the hospital that ended up saving his life, Chris and his lovely wife, Judy, happily live in Lakeland with their handsome Golden Doodle, Dax. Chris served as a well-known chiropractor in Lakeland at his own practice, Cheatwood Chiropractors, providing trusted care to his patients for over 37 years.

When Chris and Judy, a dedicated educator, were not working, they enjoyed traveling to new places, spending time together, and making memories. Their partnership and deep care for each other is obvious. That’s why when Chris’s health began to fail quickly, Judy encouraged him to see his doctor before it got too serious.

“I didn’t go to the doctor right away. I kept putting it off and putting it off, but deep down I knew something was wrong. I would get home from work around 6PM and go right to sleep until the next morning, and I lost 60 pounds. I was being stubborn.”

While in Ohio on a short trip, Judy could tell Chris was not himself. She was right. He ended up becoming extremely ill with a dangerously high fever. When they returned home, Chris decided it was time to see his primary care provider.

“They ran tests, referred me to see a gastroenterologist, and we waited,” Chris recalls. “A few days after this, my life changed, and I don’t remember the majority of it.”

Judy stepped in and helped magnify the blurry memories that linger in Chris’s mind from this time.

On May 19, Chris collapsed, and Judy called 911. Frightened, but keeping strong, she explained to the EMS workers that he had been sick for a few weeks. They loaded him into the ambulance, and Judy followed behind as they transported him to Lakeland Regional Health.

“By the time I parked, Chris was already getting X-rays and CT scans. Then before I knew it, there were seven doctors and other staff around his bedside telling me he needed life-or-death surgery. They began asking me questions about possible amputations and sharing that he may not make it. My heart sank.”

The team discovered Chris was suffering from necrotizing fasciitis, or flesh-eating disease. This rare condition is a subset of aggressive skin and soft tissue infections occurring when too little blood flow to the tissue causes muscle fascia and subcutaneous tissue to die. The necrosis was attacking Chris from his hip to foot, comprising his entire leg.

Judy waited as the Lakeland Regional Health Trauma team took Chris into emergency surgery to remove the infection, holding onto the thread of deep love and hope that remained tethered from her heart to Chris.

“Dr. Stephen Rowe came out of surgery and told me that surgery went well, and they were able to save his leg. However, he couldn’t promise that Chris would wake up or the condition he would be in if he did.”

After multiple tests, scans, and surgeries, Chris was diagnosed with a large rectal tumor that was malignant and would require chemotherapy. Dr. Kelly Koch, a Lakeland Regional Health surgical oncologist specializing in a wide variety of cancers, found the mass and determined Chris’s next steps for care. Her kindness was evident to Judy, who relied on the compassion and expertise of each doctor, nurse, physician resident, and team member they came into contact with.

" What I was the most impressed with was the expertise and compassion of every single person at Lakeland Regional Health. Every doctor spoke to me and to Chris with respect. They took extra time to explain everything, comfort me when it was overwhelming, and make sure we felt like we were their top priority. From the time he went in, the ICU nurses, doctors, wound care team, just everyone was incredible. I never experienced anyone who was negative. It was six weeks of this amazing treatment. Dr. Koch would come in off her shift just to sit with Chris and check in on him. It was wonderful.”

Chris had an extensive care team, comprised of the world-class surgeons, nurses, and physicians that Lakeland Regional Health offers. Due to the severity of Chris’s fasciitis and the number of surgeries he had — nineteen to be exact — Chris saw various experts including surgical oncologist Dr. Kelly Koch, orthopedic trauma surgeon Dr. Renee Genova, plastic surgeon Dr. Michael Straughan, trauma surgeon Dr. Richard Sontchi, countless nurses, and physician residents who would frequently visit Chris and Judy for a pick-me-up!

“If I had to leave Lakeland Regional Health, I simply wouldn’t. They never gave up on me. From chemotherapy and learning how to walk again, to saving my life and holding my wife’s hand, they cared about me through it all.”

Not only did Chris and Judy meet with countless experts, but they became well acquainted with the state-of-the-art facilities in the Lakeland Regional Health network. In addition to the emergency department, they were cared for at the Hollis Cancer Center for chemotherapy and the Bannasch Institute for Advanced Rehabilitation Medicine for one week of inpatient physical therapy. When Chris recovered from his multiple surgeries, it was time to begin treatment for his cancer and then the rehabilitation process.

“It was not guaranteed that I could go to Bannasch right away, but I knew I could do it, especially with the support of our motivation physical therapist, Fern. And boy, when I tell you my surgeons all visited Bannasch and told them I was ready to get back on my feet, they advocated for me and created a seamless experience of care,” said Chris. “When we found this out, we simply cried and hugged our team, thanking them for everything.”

When Chris went to Bannasch, he was met with the same level of expertise, kindness, and motivation. His team motivated him and encouraged his positive attitude.

“Everyone at the hospital supported me being me. I was positive through everything, and they met my level of positivity and motivated me to keep going. That was the key to my recovery.”

Lakeland Regional Health is known in the community as being a staple of healthcare since 1916. Many who visit us, like Chris, were even born in our hospital. Chris reflected on the experience of receiving world-class care after his experience with so many different facets of Lakeland Regional Health:

“After waking up from an induced coma lasting more than two weeks, I said, 'Thank God I am here at Lakeland Regional Health'. From the moment we arrived, everyone was kind. The people at the front desk were fantastic, the food was amazing, and the care teams were next level.”

“When I was struggling with extremely painful bladder spasms, Dr. Tran, a resident physician, walked in with five nurses and said, 'We are not leaving until we solve this.’ Within 20 minutes, I was pain-free. Doctors would sit and chat with me every morning to keep me company or when Judy needed rest. I had to retire because of this health scare of being in the hospital for two months, and it was difficult both physically and mentally. Having a team that supported us through it all was a gift. They are like our friends.”

Chris and Judy are now home with Dax, both recovering from this life-changing chapter in their book. Although they know there is a long road until normalcy, they shared the best part of this journey: Chris just had his PET scan, and there is presently no sign of active disease!

“No one ever wants to go to the hospital. No one ever wants to see their loved one in pain. But if you do, you need to have the best, kindest nurses, doctors, and staff by your side. We had that, and will always have that, at Lakeland Regional Health.”

Chris and Judy would like to thank every person who made an impact on their lives during their stay at Lakeland Regional Health and apologize for not being able to remember all their names and faces, but hold them in their hearts.

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