SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton: Patient Thanks SSM Health For Second Chance At Life

Press release from SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton:

February 10, 2022

Brian Frohmader believes that he has been gifted a second chance at life. After experiencing severe pain in his side and back, Brian made an appointment with SSM Heath to get his symptoms checked out. Although Brian is admittedly, “not one to ever see doctors,” he said his decision to schedule an appointment changed his life.

“They were surprised to find a lump on my neck, and it ended up being advanced-stage tonsil cancer,” he said. “I had never even heard of anyone else having that.”

Brian says his initial reaction to hearing the cancer diagnosis was absolute fear. After learning of his diagnosis, Brian, a dedicated husband and father of two from Wisconsin, wasn’t sure what the future would hold.

“I thought I was done for,” he said.

Thankfully, it didn’t take long for Brian to see that his providers and caregivers at SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Janesville were going to be at his side each step of the way.

“Everything seems to have happened to me for a reason,” he said.

Treatment was possible even though surgery wasn’t a safe option. SSM Health Oncologists Dr. Jacqueline Mullvain and Dr. Richard Auchter worked together to develop Brian’s personalized cancer care plan.

Brian was over halfway finished with chemotherapy and radiation treatments when the unexpected happened. One day, while preparing to head home after an appointment, Brian told his daughter Caitlyn that he felt strange.

After sitting down, his body suddenly went limp and his head fell.

“I yelled for help and all the nurses came running over - I thought we lost him,” Caitlyn said.

Brian only remembers seeing the streaking of ceiling lights and doctors’ blurry faces as he was rushed to the SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital – Janesville emergency room.

He was diagnosed as having suffered a pulmonary embolism, a blood clot in the lung.

“I don’t think I would be here today had the emergency happened anywhere else, or at any other time,” Brian said.

After the setback, Brian was able to successfully complete his cancer treatments. He also worked to improve his overall health. Now approaching the three-year anniversary of his cancer diagnosis, Brian is feeling great.

Occasionally, he likes to stop to reconnect with the SSM Health team members in Janesville who provided their expertise and support during one of the most difficult times of his life.

“The people here are just unreal,” Brian said. “I am so grateful for everything.”

Brian credits divine intervention and the extraordinary care he received from SSM Health for making it all possible. On behalf of SSM Health, our team in Janesville is ecstatic to know that Brian is back home with his family and feeling better than he has in years.

If it has been some time since you’ve seen a physician or have a nagging condition you’d like to have checked out, please schedule an appointment with an SSM Health doctor.

This press release was produced by SSM Health St. Clare Hospital - Fenton. The views expressed here are the author’s own.