Christopher Bowman, tumor patient, recovering

We have been following the story of Chris Bowman, the young man, who is now twenty four years old, but was diagnosed with a rare tumor since he was ten. His life has had it many twists and turns but throughout Chris has maintained a brave front. In April he headed to Oklahoma and returned this weekend from the latest round of surgery that he underwent free of cost thanks to good Samaritans. News Five’s Andrea Polanco met Chris earlier this week, who as usual, was in high spirits.

Andrea Polanco, Reporting

It’s been fourteen years since Chris Bowman has been living with challenges and pain for a medical condition. But today when we met Chris he is just simply happy to be feeling well since he underwent a five and a half hour surgery that cut off more than half of his blood supply to the tumor:

Chris Bowman, Has Rare Tumor

Christopher Bowman

“Ah feel much betta cause everybody glad fi si mi when ah come back right and if yuh notice my chest look  different ever since I come back from surgery right suh I feel alright.”

Odessa Orosco, Mother

“Ah suh happy fi mi bwai men ah suh happy fi ah, cause he look plenty different from how he was before and when I watch ih chest, ih chest gone done plenty, ih nuh dat big than how ih mi deh like wah basketball ih nuh look like that again ih di guh down.”

But when Chris got back on Sunday he returned in this wheel chair because his doctors said he may never be able to walk again, but for Chris and his mother, they are hopeful that he will walk again:

Chris Bowman

“Just haffi si weh ah happen with the grace fGod yuh nih that’s all I cud seh. To me I nuh really di worry yuh nuh I di fight with all I have eena dis wheel chair right now.”

Odessa Orosco

“Well weh di docta seh, dat weh he seh yuh nuh, dat dah weh he seh but once God have the will and power fi mek my bwai walk again he wah walk, he wah walk.”

But while Chris is unable to walk, his mother is noting remarkable improvements since he returned:

Odessa Orosco

Odessa Orosco

“He di duh stuff weh I nuh have to duh fi he no more cause Chris  could get off ah ih bed, Chris  could bathe ih skin, Chris cud put on ih own clothes weh I used to duh fuh ah.”

Chris said he will continue to rest and exercise, two things that are vital to his health:

Chris Bowman

“Well I just tek my lee rest right cause Docta say I need lotta rest and guh work out and lift some weights and suh right. Deh guys deh give mi wah slide board right and fi get around deh tell mi fi keep mi foot up eena dis boots right, the boots keep mi foot up cause ih got wah style ih just like drop down like ih just guh flat suh that’s all I cud duh fuh now.”

Reporting for News Five, I am Andrea Polanco.

The procedure involved reducing the blood supply to the tumor by sixty percent as well as removing portions of it from the spine. A follow-up on his progress will take place in Belize in August by one of his attending doctors from Oklahoma.