I'm getting HIPEC!!!!

Hi
Hi Elizabeth,

Congratulations on being in a position to have this surgery. I have not had surgery for my colon cancer yet; however in the original plan for me I was to have chemo + radiation for 5 weeks, then a break & then major surgery - a resection & hysterectomy, a break then liver surgery for 1 met. However, when they took the scans after my treatment, although the cancer in the colon had shrunken, they discovered that I had 4 liver mets & did not want to do the surgery at that time; they wanted to try to decrease the liver mets (this has been successful so far). So some day I may have surgery similar to yours. Here is the good news: you are young (my surgeon & oncologist refer to me as young & I am much older than you!) & they can remove all the cancer, it sounds like. I think they only offer this extensive surgery to people they feel have a good chance of success. I want to wish you all the best, know that I am rooting for you & hope you will let us know how it goes.

mimic said:

HIPEC
My husband had HIPEC in October with Dr. Bartlett in Pittsburgh. He had 1/3 of small bowel removed, more of his colon (I think less than 1/2 is left now), omentum, some lymph nodes and tumor that were on large and small bowel and HIPEC. I know that this is not as many "removals" as you are to have, but his recovery was relatively easy. He was in surgery for 8 hours, in ICU a couple of days. He had an ng tube for a few days and was released from the hospital 8 days after the surgery. We stayed in Pittsburgh for 3 more days, then flew home. He went back to work 3 weeks later. His scar did have some issues after we got home. I think that was from too much activity flying home, changing planes, carrying bags etc. He is a doctor (radiologist) so he and a surgeon at his hospital took care of it.

Time will tell how well it worked, but he had a clear scan Dec. 23 (which is a good start considering 5 weeks after his right hemicolectomy for his primary tumor his pre-chemo pet scan showed "worrisome areas" that turned out to be worrisome indeed)

If we can answer any questions that I didn't addresss, please ask.

Also, I have read about someone (I can't think who at the moment) on the Colon Club who had HIPEC with Dr. Tufts. You might want to search it on there.

Good Luck!

Mimi

oops
I meant at Tufts with your dr.!!

Hi Elizabeth,you are in my
Hi Elizabeth,you are in my prayers.I hope everything goes very well with you.Best luck and best wishes to you.

lizbiz said:

Thank you all! I'm really
Thank you all! I'm really putting a lot of faith in this. I really wasn't counting on making it to the end of this year (I know I still may not - no guarantees) but I'm very encouraged by all of this and by Dr. Goodman's approach. He seemed hesitant at first due to my liver, but there's only one tumor there, it's been there for a year and hasn't multiplied - granted, it's now quite large, but it hasn't spread. He seemed to take that as a very positive sign. Also, it's clearly on the right edge of my liver and still very resectable.

I basically had a semi-meltdown in the exam room. I started bawling and telling him that I really saw this as my last and only chance as EVERYTHING has failed for me, that I knew that I wouldn't be cured, but I really needed to buy time in case anything comes up in the future that may help me. I really just emotionally presented everything I had. I don't know that that had a lot to do with his decision to take me on, but I was prepared to attach myself to his leg in true toddler style and not let go until he said yes.

I don't know what the future may hold for me, but I'm very happy (and totally freaked out) by this. Is this what being pregnant feels like? It's as close as I'll ever get to that.

Love,
Elizabeth

From what I have learned
This is the one chance for a "cure". The debulking, liver resection and HIPEC are the gold standard when they talk cure. Reach out to jenhopesandprays. She has had it done by Dr. Sugarbaker.

Good luck and you are in my prayers. I know it will be tough but you will get through it and i know a dance with NED is in your future.

A Tall Order
Hi Elizabeth

It made me so happy to see your post!! I've been concerned for you for awhile and know you have felt despondent at times but was just hoping that something good would come to you.

And it looks like it finally has!!

I'm so glad that you now have an option and a plan of attack - now you're in some control and can dictate the flow of the fight.

That sounds like alot of surgery alright - you are certainly very brave and I applaud you for your courage - I'm so happy to see you post and I can feel the happiness in you for the first time...and this is wonderful.

I can't wait to hear how this story gets written...

-Craig

My mom just got almost the same thing done today
I'm actually sitting in the waiting area of the hospital now as she is recovering from her surgery. Today my mom had 2 sections of her colon removed, as well as her gallbladder, omentum, ovaries, and uterus. This was followed up w/ HIPEC.

Going into the surgery, she was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer about 6 months prior. She went through 10 rounds of chemo, which included Avastin and Folfox. This treatment worked especially well for her, as PET and CT scans after chemo treatment looked like normal healthy scans!

We decided to proceed with the surgery in an aggressive attempt to cure her cancer. Going into the surgery, we knew she would have the ascending portion of her colon removed and possibly her omentum. When the surgeon came out of surgery to give us an update, we learned that they had found small nodules on her peritoneum, ovaries, and uterus. Her gallbladder was swollen so they removed it and they also found small nodules on her lower colon so they had to remove that portion as well. She is going to have to use a bag and have follow up surgery in 2 months to reconnect the second portion of her colon. Time will tell how well she heals.

The good news out of all this is that the surgeon removed all visible traces of cancer. We are hoping and praying that it will have been worth all of the effort. I hope this helps and I hope to have helpful feedback for you after my mom has some time to heal. God bless and keep a positive attitude!

Got a plan..and goal
Glad you were tenatious enough to go for what you felt was right for you.

Glad your doc feels you are good candidate for what you wanted.

Hold on to the spirit that has gotten you this far.

Keep positive thoughts that your goal is attainable.

Wishing you sucess with the surgery and a speedy recovery from pain.

Marie

linandtom said:

HIPEC question
Did your husband have any liver mets?

He didn't have any liver
He didn't have any liver mets.

Mimi