California Police Chief- Fall 2013 CPCA_2018_Spring Magazine_Final | Page 25

dissection where doctors removed the right side of my
throat and 20% of the back of my tongue. Surgeons sewed
a thigh muscle into my throat to protect the area and allow
me to continue swallowing and eating normally. In July
2014 I had my thyroid removed as the cancer spread. I was
cancer free until January 2017, when I had lymph nodes
and my left tonsil removed. Finally, in August 2017, I
suffered a second eighteen hour neck dissection where the
left side of my throat and my vocal cords were removed.
Surgeons sewed a second thigh muscle into my throat and
created a new esophagus for me to continue swallowing
and eating normally. I breathe out of a stoma. After an
extended nine month medical leave, involving three throat
cancer surgeries, three rounds of chemotherapy, and
getting used to a tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis (TEP)
implant, I have finally returned to work! I am thrilled to
be back to the career I love, contributing to my agency and
community.
I truly believe I survived my cancer journey because
I still have much to offer my family, my community, and
my agency. With each hurdle, I focused on healing and
returning to my position. There is much on the horizon,
including taking the lead on planning and designing our
new police facility – a once in a lifetime opportunity.
I would not have survived my journey without the
love and support of my beautiful wife, Tami, and my
seven children. Tami has been my sole caregiver over
seven years and six surgeries. She accompanied me to
every doctor’s appointment, chemotherapy infusion, and
surgery. We stomached late night ER visits and two-week
stretches in the hospital. We laughed and cried, absorbing
a cacophony of emotions. Tami transitioned from wife to
caregiver, sacrificing her own career goals until I recovered.
She pushed me to be a better man and we are stronger
as a couple. I have a twenty-three year encyclopedia of
experiences with her catalogued and cross-referenced at the
SPRING 2018 | California Police Chief
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