Actions speak louder than words: Saratoga man remains volunteer advocate despite cancer, surgeries

“Every time I walk, my tongue wags,” Marty Huntley said.

It is a sense of humor that has kept Marty going through four surgeries and three bouts of squamous cell carcinoma.

The most recent surgery was on July 14, 2011, when muscle tissue from his leg was used to rebuild his tongue after most of his cancerous tongue was removed.

He was in surgery for 13 hours and has been fed through feeding tubes known as g-tubes and j-tubes, which were inserted directly into Huntley’s stomach and jejunum.

For the first three months after the surgery, Huntley couldn’t talk. He had to use that time to allow his tongue to heal.

That is tough for someone who always has something to say, Marty said.

During those first three months, Marty wrote notes using pencil and paper and used his phone to text messages.

Marty’s battle with cancer began in 2004. In October 2004, he had his first surgery. His tonsils and some lymph nodes were removed.

He had another surgery in November 2004 to reconstruct the left side of his mouth. After radiation he was cancer free.

In August 2005, the cancer came back and Marty had a third surgery in the same area.

Six years later, Marty started to have trouble swallowing. Not only had his cancer returned, it had moved to the other side of his mouth.

He had a biopsy in May 2011 and was scheduled for surgery when it was discovered it was beyond his doctor’s expertise.

Marty was first referred to a hospital in Salt Lake City, but his medical insurance did not cover treatment there. His doctor then referred Marty to Anschutz Cancer Center in Denver.

In May, Marty met for consultation and had his fourth surgery July 14, 2011. After the surgery he went through chemotherapy and radiation.

In October 2012, Marty started seeing Jane Johnston, a speech language pathologist.

Marty had to wait for the swelling to go down before starting therapy. He said his tongue is still swollen, but looks a lot better.

Marty had to learn how to use his tongue again and Jane has been instrumental in that process, Marty said.

“She is great. She knows her job,” Marty said. Not only did Jane help him with using his tongue, she was beneficial for Marty psychologically.

“You don’t realize all you do with (your tongue) until you don’t have it,” Marty said.

Marty is able to talk now, but still has difficulty pronouncing certain letters.

“I get frustrated with myself,” Marty said. “I try to get myself to slow down.”

When Marty gets excited, he starts to talk faster, which makes it harder for people to understand.

“When I slow down, everybody can understand most of it,” he said.

Marty is also relearning how to eat. The 56-year-old man, who was a muscular 220 pounds is now half the size he once was. He pats his belly, “I am gaining some back.”

His nourishment comes from his feeding tube, but Jane is working with him to use a spoon and eating simple foods like pudding, apple sauce, Jell-O and yogurt.

“If she only knew how much she has done for me,” Marty said.

Marty’s epiglottis flap was also removed during his fourth surgery. It’s the flap that keeps food from going into the wind pipe. Now, his rebuilt tongue acts as the flap too and Jane has had to teach him how to use his new flap as well.

The doctors want the flap to shrink, Marty said, but it will take time.

Marty also has a tracheotomy. That too will take time before it can be removed. In the meantime, Marty said, he has learned he can’t look up when he takes a shower.

Since 2011, Marty has not been able to work fulltime. He said he goes stir crazy, but sill volunteers and occasionally works at the shop at Shively’s.

Smoke from fires bothers him and so does the cold. That has been an adjustment for Marty, who is an avid snowmobiler. He has had to cut way back, but he still manages to take a ride every now and then.

This winter Marty worked as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) at the Chariot Races, but had to spend most of his time in the ambulance cab to avoid the dust stirred up on the track.

Marty, who is an intermediate EMT, takes his volunteer work seriously. When he was traveling back and forth to Denver for chemotherapy and radiation, he would travel on Sunday night and return home on Friday.

On one of his many trips, he came upon an accident. He was first on the scene.

“I did everything I could,” Marty said.

He used the CPR bag he had with him — he always carries an EMT bag with him.

Marty doesn’t waste time feeling sorry for himself. He appreciates what the community has done for him. Two years ago, the community had a fundraiser to help with traveling expenses.

His employer, Shively Hardware, has been patient as he heals. Every now and then he stops in and tinkers around in the shop.

His wife, Jane Huntley has been a big support too.

“We have traded roles,” Jane said. “I go to work and Marty stays home.”

Among the people who have been instrumental in his healing is Dr. Dean Bartholomew. Marty has reoccurring infections. “Dean has been great. I text him and he sneaks me in,” Marty said.

Bartholomew said some patients require more than the 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. care and they have access to his cell phone. “There is no place you can live and have that kind of care,” Johnston said.

“Marty will shoot me a text at 3 a.m.,” Bartholomew said. “I happily answer it, because I know all the times that Marty has answered an ambulance call at 3 a.m.”

Marty tells Bartholomew, “No, I owe you guys.”

Bartholomew and Johnston agree that Marty is the one who is used to giving. He is a volunteer on the ambulance and fire department and is a member of Oddfellows and Rebekahs.

“It’s an honor to give back to him,” Johnston said. Bartholomew nodded in agreement.

“I just recommend that he doesn’t load any more four-point deer by himself,” Bartholomew jokes. Marty had to have stitches after the deer’s antler caught his leg.

Marty’s support not only comes from Bartholomew, Johnston and his family. “The whole town, his ambulance family, fire family and the Glode family have been so generous,” Johnston said. “Marty has given all of his life. For him it is harder to receive.”

In April, Marty did something he has wanted to do for years. He went wild pig hunting with his daughter Jennifer German and grandson Kalub. They travelled to Texas and hunted for a week.

“Made it home no pig, didn’t even see any,” Marty texted. “But I had fun.”