Mr. Keith J. Handler

age 25.Loving son of James R. and Laura J. nee Bowler.Beloved brother of Kevin M., Korey R., and Connor P.Grandson of George and the late Dorothy M. (nee Konrath) & the late Hugh and Betty (nee Keefe) Bowler.Dear fiance of Jennifer T. Gerardi.Fond nephew, cousin and friend.Memorials to "Keith's Fight" www.gofundme.com/db1mboKeith Handler was diagnosed in 2009 with Ulcerative Colitis and Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC). PSC is the same disease Walter Payton had and it affects the bile ducts and causes scarring within them. PSC is an autoimmune disease. Keith's PSC and Ulcerative Colitis was under control with medications. However, it is known the only real cure for PSC is a liver transplant. Keith had also been required to have routine colonoscopies to monitor his Ulcerative Colitis.Keith's fight began shortly after having surgery to remove his colon to prevent colon cancer. Keith had a routine colonoscopy to evaluate his ulcerative colitis March 2014 and precancerous adenomas were found. Doctors believed it was in his best interest to have his colon removed to prevent colon cancer. Keith, who is 25 years old, was cleared for surgery, as he was in good health, and surgery was performed on May 29th. Keith was discharged after ten days at University of Chicago. He was home for just under two days before returning to the ER with severe abdominal pain. It was determined that Keith had a perforated duodenum and emergency surgery was performed late in the evening on June 9th. Keith has not left the hospital since that night. He remained in the surgical ICU on and off the ventilator for a week, then was transferred to the Med-Surg floor once off the ventilator to only return back to the medical ICU a few weeks later. From the medical ICU he spent a couple days on the liver floor to once again be transferred back to the Medical ICU. This is where I write this from, as I sit on a couch in the ICU. I ask for your help as Keith has had many unforeseen complications from his perforation which has resulted in a very long 11 week stay at U of C. He developed a GI bleed and then abdominal wall abscesses that had to be drained by interventional radiologists on three different occasions in which some of those drains were left in. Unfortunately, the last abscess contaminated Keith's blood stream resulting in worsening infection which in turn caused his kidneys to stop functioning. At first, his urine output slowed and then stopped. He has been placed on continuous dialysis. His liver enzymes are also elevated and the liver is not functioning properly due to an exacerbation of his PSC. Keith also developed encephalopathy from what the doctor's believe was rare Flagyl toxicity; Flagyl is an antibiotic. The doctor's had to stop the Flagyl. Keith could not speak from the encephalopathy but could understand what we were saying to him. That has resolved and Keith can speak again and is fully alert and aware of what is going on and his prognosis. The doctor's have offered for Keith to pursue aggressive treatments in an effort to fight for his life or chose comfort care. On Sunday night, August 17th, Keith chose to keep fighting. We are trying to raise money for Keith's medical bills and out-of-pocket cost for insurance premiums.Keith is a graduate of Queen of Martyrs, St. Rita High School, and Eastern Illinois University. Keith had begun his first job out of college working at Henkels and McCoy as a field engineer. He had just returned home from his first job site in Amarillo, Texas. His next job site was planned to be in Iowa. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Mr. Keith J. Handler please visit our Sympathy Store.

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