ORLANDO, Fla. – As a part of the Information 6 morning workforce, Site visitors Security Professional Steven Montiero shares his expertise on the roads as a Florida state trooper and a veteran of the U.S. Air Drive with Central Florida viewers.
He’s usually a public one who shares his life with many, nevertheless it wasn’t till now that he determined to open up a few sure chapter: His run-in with most cancers.
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“When that began, I feel the most important factor to settle in was a — and it takes quite a bit for me to say — however, like, a quiet worry,” Montiero mentioned.
In April of final 12 months, as Central Florida skilled the primary wave of COVID-19 circumstances, Montiero was hit with a sudden and sudden sickness that landed him within the hospital.
“I really feel I’m this wholesome, go-getting, 100-mile-an-hour individual, navy, regulation enforcement, right here at Information 6, and it’s go, go, go and subsequent factor you realize, I’m on my face,” he mentioned.
Not solely did he have fears associated to what might need been happening along with his well being, he mentioned the hospital setting was particularly intimidating due to the local weather at the moment because of COVID-19.
“I by no means had seen nurses caregivers in nearly full hazmat fits. You’re speaking from the tip of their toes to the highest of their heads — fully lined. Fuel masks appears to be like, not simply this N95 stuff we discuss, however full-blown ventilator masks only for transport on an ambulance, bringing you into the hospital,” he mentioned.
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His care workforce at AdventHealth Altamonte discovered double lung bacterial pneumonia, however after a CT scan of his chest, one thing was revealed in his proper kidney.
“Similar to in my cop world, my navy time, I count on to come across probably the most harmful doable conditions, hoping that none of it occurs, however on this case, it was most cancers,” Montiero mentioned.
And it was found due to what he thought had been signs of COVID-19.
“There was one thing (regarding) when (the physician) instructed me. You don’t present me a scan like that and say, ‘You could have a golf-ball sized tumor on the underside of your kidney,’ and also you count on anyone to assume it’s simply OK,” he mentioned.
Dr. Steve Williams, a urologist and robotic surgeon at AdventHealth, defined how he discovered Montiero’s tumor.
Information 6 morning anchor and well being reporter Kirstin O’Connor requested Williams if it was typical for somebody displaying indicators of COVID-19 to be given a CT scan.
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“You realize, we had been very early within the COVID epidemic and, you realize, he had a variety of shortness of breath, they weren’t certain if this was typical COVID,” Williams mentioned. “Actually, I feel his COVID check was unfavorable, and so they did the CT scan to attempt to see if there was another explanation for his shortness of breath, after which this led to the discovering of the tumor on the kidney,”
As his analysis sunk in, Montiero mentioned he handled isolation, each bodily and mentally, going through his scenario with out with the ability to have his family members beside him.
“(My mother) was the one individual I used to be apprehensive about. She’s been there from go, and to know, like, now she’s gotta’ fear about me, and he or she’s by no means needed to fear about me,” he mentioned.
Alone within the hospital, his lungs recovered.
However the subsequent step, surgical procedure on the tumor, must wait two months, one thing Montiero mentioned terrified him.
“And I’m like, ‘So that you need me to return into the world that we don’t know the place COVID’s at, and then you definitely need me to come back again in right here for a process, the place you’re going to open me up?’ It’s onerous to belief anyone that you just don’t know together with your life,” Montiero mentioned.
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He says he had no selection however to be affected person and cling to his religion.
As you might properly know, Montiero is again at work and doing properly, however he’ll share extra particulars about his restoration tomorrow on Information 6 and ClickOrlando.com.
Trooper Steve wouldn’t have identified about his situation if he hadn’t gone to the hospital after experiencing what he thought was signs of COVID-19. He’s now sharing his story in an effort to encourage others to not neglect their well being wants as a result of they’re afraid to go to a well being care facility in the course of the coronavirus pandemic.
Well being officers have additionally warned towards pushing aside mandatory visits as a result of it may permit somebody’s situation to worsen over time. Florida docs have mentioned for months that the hospitals are “very, very protected.” You may learn extra about hospital security in the course of the pandemic right here.
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The Mayo Clinic and CDC additionally supply tips about how one can safely go to your physician in the course of the pandemic.
Telemedicine can be an important possibility for anybody who thinks they could want non-emergency medical consideration and continues to be making an attempt to restrict in-person visits. Click on right here to seek out telehealth choices in Central Florida.
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