Jeff at his daughter's (Becki) wedding in 2009.
Posted on 03/28/2010 7:15:15 PM PDT by DollyCali
Edited on 03/28/2010 7:51:23 PM PDT by Admin Moderator. [history]
Jim Robinson, the owner of FreeRepublic has graciously approved this Fund Raiser and Leave Donation thread that a number of us wanted to put together for well-known Freeper, and our friend, Jeff Head. (Moderators, please consider keeping this thread at the top of its category until the goals are reached.)
In December 2009 Jeff was diagnosed with bone cancer. A rare sacral chordoma was found on his sarcum. His only medical recourse is very major and dangerous surgery to completely remove his sacrum and then rebuild the structure. The two surgeries necessary are currently scheduled for April 27th and April 30th, 2010. This surgery will require a four month period of hospital stay, recovery, rehabilitation, and radiation at the MD Anderson Medical Center in Houston, Texas, which is 2000 miles away from Jeff's home in Idaho.
Any freeper who can, and who will not themselves be put out either financially or from a leave basis by so doing, is aksed to consider donating so as to help Freeper Jeff Head through this crisis. Your faith and prayers on behalf of Jeff and his family are also requested. There are two ways to help, monetarily and with leave. will track the donations here on this thread against the goals.
FUND DONATIONS : (Goal: $10,000. Current amount donated $1,605.00)
Jeff has good medical insurance, but the four month stay in Houston is going to require significant expense beyond his means including an apartment very close to MD Anderson with handicap services and gated for security. His rehabilitation will be a major effort and will not come cheaply, either in terms of pain and effort or cost. Jeff has an additional $1,000 per month he is applying in addition to maintaining his household in Idaho while he is gone. But for he and his wife Gail to stay in Houston for the four months is going to cost between $2,200 and $2,500 per month more than he has.
If you are willing, and able, you can donate funds to Jeff to help him while in Houston at the following link, either by PayPal, Credit Card, or by Check to the address indicated.
DONATE HERE TO THE JEFF HEAD CHORDOMA CANCER FUND
Any funds left over after Jeff's rehab will be donated on a 50/50 basis to the Chordoma Foundation which is a non-profit group dedicated to research and education about Chordoma Cancer, and to Freerepublic.com.
LEAVE DONATIONS : (Goal: 540 hours. Current amount donated: 385 hours)
Jeff works for the US Bureau of Reclamation helping produce electricity and irrigation water for our nation in the intermountain west. And Federal Employee can donate leave to Jeff. Emploeeys of the Department of Interior should use the following PDF form:
In Agency Leave Share Form OP-630A (http://www.jeffhead.com/chordoma/opm630a.pdf )
Employees of other Federal Agencies should use the following PDF form:
Outside Agency Leave Share Form OP-630B (http://www.jeffhead.com/chordoma/opm630b.pdf)
Once the form is filled out, mail it to:
U.S. Bureau of Reclamation
Pacific Northwest Regional Office
Attn: Voluntary Leave Transfer Program Coordinator, PN-7425
1150 N. Curtis Road, Suite 100
Boise, ID 83706-1234
This leave can only be used for the medical emergency and any leave remaining at the end of Jeff's medical emergency will be returned on a pro-rated basis to those who donated it.
Jeff has been keeping and posting a journal of his experience for as long as he can at the following two links:
JEFF HEAD'S SACRAL CHORDOMA EXPERIENCE (on JEFFHEAD.com)
JEFF HEAD'S SACRAL CHORDOMA EXPERIENCE (on Facebook)
There is a reeRepublic prayer thread for Jeff at the following link.
FREEREPUBLIC PRAYER THREAD FOR JEFF HEAD
If you want to understand Jeff's political, moral, and constitutional beliefs, which are very well published here on FR and around the web, use the following three links:
AMERICA AT THE CROSSROADS OF HISTORY (By Jeff Head>
RESTORE THE CONSTITUTION - A FreeRepublic Alliance Effort
THE STAND AT KLAMATH FALLS - HOW FARMERS STOOD UP TO THE FEDERAL GOV'T & ENVIRONMENTALISTS
Jeff has also created a very popular Youtube video you most certainly will enjoy watching and which should be spread around in any case:
AWAKEN O AMERICA - YOUR LIBERTY IS CALLING! (By Jeff Head)
Praying and thinking of you today Jeff, as this was one of your surgery dates.
Hope it all went well.
I am reminded of some verses from Matthew 10:29-31
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fall on the ground without The Father. But the very hairs on your head are numbered. Fear not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.”
God Bless
ping for return later
BTTT
BTTT
bttt
Thank you so much for the ping, Laz, and for the great update, Gail!
So very happy things are going so well. Continuing in prayers for Jeff’s health and well-being, and for the family and medical team. God bless.
Thanks, Laz!
Thanks for the ping, my FRiend.
You are a good egg.
Thanks for the update link.
Also would like to know how the fundraiser is going.
I hope we have met and surpassed the amount of help needed in the fundraiser.
Praying for Jeff’s surgery today - I hope someone will post an update when they hear how he’s doing. Lord, be with his surgeons - give them skill, keep Jeff safe and may every detail be a success - protect his nerves as they are trying to save those , and give peace and grace to Gail and the rest of his family.... In Jesus’ Name.....
Let’s bump this up again.
Praying for Jeff’s recovery.
God bless you all.
You’re in my prayers.
My dad is recovering well, he had his 3rd and last surgery on Tuesday (8 hours) to complete the bone graft which they were unable to do during the major surgery due to time constraints. They will be moving him from the ICU unit to a regular room as soon as one is open The doctors are impressed with his response to the surgery at this point and the hopes are that he can be back in Idaho in July instead of August. They are waiting to do the radiation for 5 months so that will require a trip back to Texas this fall. But at this point we are somewhat relieved to have this step of the treatment complete, and hopefully the trials will all be downhill from here, instead of the endless uphill battle we seem to have been fighting lately. We as a family thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and will continue to keep you updated as we have more information.
Sincerely
Becki Hagen
Jeff Head’s Daughter
Thank you for the update, Becki.
Prayers continue from here- and hope Jeff can come back to us here on FR soon.
God bless you all.
Great news. My hospital release is tomorrow! followed by out-patient therapy at Tirr, one of the top rehab facilities in the nation! The rehab Dr. here at MD Anderson did his residency there & our friend, Dustin Morgan, who is also a nurse here in the ICU, suggested it. He was guided by the Spirit to do so, because the Dr. here immediately latched onto the idea, and got it set up within hours.
They’ll focus up to 5 days a week & 4 hours a day on my specific needs and the insurance has already approved up to 50 visits at this very prestigious and hard to get into facility. My initial review with them is Friday w/rehab starting early next week. Although my co-pay for these visits is rather high at $75.00, I believe we have it covered enough to take advantage of this up to 6 weeks before coming home to Idaho.
What a blessing. Thank you all for your continued prayers because they continue to miraculously reveal God’s Hand in this for His own purposes. I’m just glad I’ll get to spend more time with my dear wife, my kids, & those precious grandkids.
Oh Jeff! This is such good news. I am so pleased things are turning out so well. Always a pleasure watching miracles unveil themselves. You and yours continue in our thoughts and prayers.
I thought I would take this opportunity on this thread to post links to all the videos we have made of my progress over the last few weeks. As a sort of update.
Rehab is coming along well, but it is painstakingly slow...and in many cases, vey painful and very tiring...but that is what it takes to come back after so much surgery and cutting of muscles and tendons, and after so many weeks in bed flat on your back.
Anyhow, here are those videos, all on facebook, but all should be visible to evryone, even if yo do not have a facebook account:
Jeff in hospital on tilt tablt, 1st time at 90 degrees (6/8/2010)
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=410259679068
Jeff in apt w/walker, & taking some baby steps (7/15/2010)
http://www.facebook.com/video/?id=755469068
Jeff with walking sticks, wlaking bacwards (7/20/2010)
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=413951974068
Jeff at TIRR Gym walking (7/24/2010
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=415145899068
Jeff at store in scooter cart (7/24/2010)
http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=415148619068
At this point, it looks like the last week of August or first weeks of Spetember before we drive home...and (PTL) it looks like at that point I will be far enough along so we can just use my truck...another answer to prayer among literally hundreds.
I attribute it to a loving Savior, who for His purposs chose to have me remain here on this earth for a bit longer, and to a loving, angelic wife of 32 years who has supported and literally nnursed me through this...and to hundreds, perhaps thousands of faithful people, friends in Christ and in faith, who have prayed for us, encouraged us, and helped us through...no small number of which are represented by my FR family of over 12 years.
God bless you all, may His blessings be multiplied many time over back to you in kind.
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