:strip_exif(true):strip_icc(true):no_upscale(true):quality(65)/d1vhqlrjc8h82r.cloudfront.net/02-08-2021/t_e5daf09fd34d440ca357c1782f50ebcc_name_image.jpg "News 6 policeman Steve was diagnosed with kidney cancer amid the COVID-19 pandemic")
ORLANDO, Fla. – As part of the News 6 morning team, traffic safety expert Steven Montiero shares his experience on the road as a Florida state police officer and a U.S. Air Force veteran with viewers from Central Florida.
He is typically a public person who shares his life with many, but it was not until now that he decided to open up about a certain chapter: His encounter with cancer.
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“When it started, I think the biggest thing to settle down was one – and it’s very difficult for me to say – but, like, a silent fear,” said Montiero.
In April last year, when Central Florida experienced the first wave of COVID-19 cases, Montiero was struck by a sudden and unexpected illness that took him to the hospital.
“I feel like I’m a healthy, active, 100-mile-an-hour, military, police person here at News 6, and go, go, go and the next thing you know, I’m in my face,” he said.
Not only did he have fears related to what could be happening to his health, he said the hospital environment was especially intimidating because of the climate at the time due to COVID-19.
“I had never seen caregiver nurses in almost complete anti-danger suits. You are talking from tiptoe to top of head – completely covered. The gas mask looks like, not just that N95 thing we talked about, but complete ventilation masks just for transport in an ambulance, taking you to the hospital, ”he said.
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His care team at AdventHealth Altamonte found double pulmonary bacterial pneumonia, but after a chest CT scan, something was revealed in his right kidney.
“As in my police world, my military time, I hope to find the most dangerous situations possible, hoping that none of this will happen, but in this case, it was cancer,” said Montiero.
And it was discovered because of what he thought were symptoms of COVID-19.
“Something (worrying) when (the doctor) told me. You don’t show me an image like that and you say, ‘You have a tumor the size of a golf ball in the bottom of your kidney’ and you expect anyone to think it’s okay, ”he said.
Dr. Steve Williams, a urologist and robotic surgeon at AdventHealth, explained how he found Montiero’s tumor.
News 6 am anchor and health reporter Kirstin O’Connor asked Williams if it was typical for someone with signs of COVID-19 to have a CT scan.
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“You know, we were at the beginning of the COVID epidemic and, you know, he was very short of breath, they weren’t sure if that was typical of COVID,” said Williams. “In fact, I think his COVID test was negative, and they did the CT scan to try to see if there was any other cause for his shortness of breath, and that led to the discovery of the kidney tumor.”
When diagnosed, Montiero said he dealt with isolation, both physical and mental, facing his situation without being able to have his loved ones by his side.
“(My mom) was the only person I was worried about. She’s been there since the beginning, and knowing, like, now she has to worry about me, and she never had to worry about me, ”he said.
Alone in the hospital, his lungs recovered.
But the next step, tumor surgery, would have to wait two months, something Montiero said that terrified him.
“And I’m like, ‘So, you want me to go back to the world where we don’t know where COVID is, and then you want me to come back here for a procedure, where are you going to open me up?’ It’s hard to trust someone you don’t know with your life, ”said Montiero.
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He says he had no choice but to be patient and stick to his faith.
As you may know, Montiero is back at work and doing well, but he will share more details about his recovery tomorrow on News 6 and ClickOrlando.com.
Officer Steve would not have known about his condition if he had not been to the hospital after experiencing what he thought were symptoms of COVID-19. He is now sharing his story in an effort to encourage others not to neglect their health needs because they are afraid to visit a health center during the coronavirus pandemic.
Health officials have also warned against postponing necessary visits because this could allow someone’s condition to worsen over time. Florida doctors have been saying for months that hospitals are “very, very safe”. You can read more about hospital safety during the pandemic here.
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The Mayo Clinic and CDC also offer tips on how to visit your doctor safely during the pandemic.
Telemedicine is also a great option for those who think they may need non-emergency medical attention and are still trying to limit personal visits. Click here to find telehealth options in Central Florida.
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