Exenteration

I was just told by the doctor that I have reoccurrence of cancer and they want to do an exeneration on June 20th. I am hopeful to hear from someone that can give me clear insight as to what may be expected, should I decide to have the surgery. 

The doctor said they would remove the bladder, vagina, and colon if they were able to perform the surgery. He said 50% of the patients that go in for this surgery are not able to receive it because the cancer has attached itself to other organs or the wall. The 25% that have the surgery successfully are able to live cancer free and the other 25% have a reoccurrence.

I keep thinking that if I just take better care of myself, and eat very
healthy from now on, maybe the cancer will not spread and I could live a
few more years without having surgery. But then again I think surely the doctor knows best and maybe I should listen to him. Can you offer any suggestions or advice?

Everyone is praying and my hope is healing from my Lord, Jesus, as He is the Great Physician.  This is the biggest battle I have ever faced, and regardless which route taken, I know the enemy has been defeated!

On 6/11/2007 Glendagail wrote:

I was just told by the doctor that I have reoccurrence of cancer and they want to do an exeneration on June 20th. I am hopeful to hear from someone that can give me clear insight as to what may be expected, should I decide to have the surgery. 

The doctor said they would remove the bladder, vagina, and colon if they were able to perform the surgery. He said 50% of the patients that go in for this surgery are not able to receive it because the cancer has attached itself to other organs or the wall. The 25% that have the surgery successfully are able to live cancer free and the other 25% have a reoccurrence.

I keep thinking that if I just take better care of myself, and eat very
healthy from now on, maybe the cancer will not spread and I could live a
few more years without having surgery. But then again I think surely the doctor knows best and maybe I should listen to him. Can you offer any suggestions or advice?

Everyone is praying and my hope is healing from my Lord, Jesus, as He is the Great Physician.  This is the biggest battle I have ever faced, and regardless which route taken, I know the enemy has been defeated!

 

Dear Glandagail:  It's now past June 20th and I am wondering if in fact you had the total pelvic exteneration performed.  That's what I am now having to face.  I did go to MD Anderson for a 2nd opinion and met with Dr. Pedro Rameriz.  My biopsy should have had results this past Friday, but they couldn't release them and are doing further surgery (cytokeratin staining). I suppose the results came back inconclusive and further testing is needed. I put off having a PET scan performed (I just had one in May). I suppose I will schedule that as soon as my results return and I also needed to know how much it would cost.  (No doubt about it, cancer is very expensive....insurance or not).  The surgery is also the hardest decision I will have ever made in my life.  My husband past away 4 years ago from brain cancer and my 29 year old son has not lived in Louisiana for 12 years.  Friends can not handle my cancer and I'm sure they still pray for me, they no longer call or visit (having cancer is definitely forcing me to find a new "normal").  I have so much empathy and sympathy for the decision you have had to make.  It's true that even given the grim percentages....you find a reason to grad on to it and just hope you're one of the lucky ones to qualify for the surgery period. Dr. Rameriz stressed that they wanted counseling, meeting with a social worker and even talking to other patients who had this surgery.  I am praying for you tonight and every day after that that you be cured.  I hope you respond to this email and let me know how you're doing.  In my prayers - Shannon

Dear Shannon,

I am so sorry that I have not responded to your message before now.  I somehow got so distracted with everything going on around me that I lost track of many messages and of time. 

With the news alone there was so much grief and turmoil for my family, work, and friends.
Our lives were turned upside down as I am certain was yours.  

I hope and pray that all is well with you.  No one knows torment experienced with this kind of diagnosis unless they experience it themselves.  I am certain this mental torment is only the tip of the the surgery iceberg.  With
everything in us we must fight.  I pray you are fighting.  If you had
the surgery, keep fighting.  If you have not had surgery, keep fighting   

I was scheduled for surgery August 30, 2007, but I went back to my doctor and asked him to retest me.  A week later I got the call from his nurse saying the test came back cancer free.  I asked them to fax the information to MD Anderson and soon after I received a call from Dr. Ramirez.  He asked, "so what do you want to do".  I said, "well, I'll tell you what I don't want to do, and that would be the exenteration".  He asked me to come as scheduled but instead of the exenteration, he take more samples of tissue to send to the lab.  They called it surgery only because I had to be knocked out before the procedure.  I went home that day, and a few weeks later I received a call and the faxed results, which were all negative!   They took a total of nine samples in five locations and all were negative!  Anyway, I have to go back to MD Anderson on November 27th for another PET/CT scan and to see Dr. Ramirez.  They want to keep a close watch. I believe I am healed, but I will go back to Houston as the doctor suggest.

Please let me know how you are doing.  You will remain in my thoughts and prayers.

Big Hugs,

Glenda