Stephen Chanonhouse

Stephen Chanonhouse
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My husband Stephen was a two-tour Vietnam Veteran, a 173rd Army Airborne Ranger. In 2001 he was diagnosed at the VA Hospital, with an encapsulated cancerous kidney tumor. He had his surgery done at a VA Hospital.

Stephen had just turned 53 in June of 2001. I was so against him going to the VA, I wanted him to go to the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. The Chief of Surgery and myself got into a disagreement about him going to the Brigham. He said the VA wouldn’t pay for him to go to the Brigham. I gave in, that was my first mistake.

A few years before that, Stephen was diagnosed with a brain tumor again at that hospital. They said it was a benign brain tumor, which it was not. They had misdiagnosed the type of tumor it was. He then started having grand mal seizures, so we went to the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, to Dr. Robert Freedlander, who operated on Stephen and I truly believe he saved his life. All of these tumors were caused from Agent Orange, a spray they used to kill the foliage in the jungle of Viet Nam.

So on July 20th, 2001, Stephen was operated on for the kidney tumor. His operation was at the VA Hospital. His surgery was very successful. After a few days Stephen came home. He started having problems with his incision. We took him back to the hospital, where they treated the incision and sent him home again. That was Friday. By Sunday Stephen was rushed to the hospital, by ambulance. He was put on a regular floor.

By August 3rd, 2001, my Stephen was dead from sepsis (Sepsis and Surgery). I was totally devastated and in total shock and so were our families and friends. It was the worst day of my life. I will never, ever get over it. He was the love of my life. I think I walked around in shock for six months…I could write a book, believe me. I would really love to help anyone, who has ever gone through a death from sepsis.

Source: by Sally-Ann Chanonhouse (Stephen's wife)

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