I was diagnosed In mid January 2012 with a form of cancer called Psuedomyxoma Peritonei or PMP. This cancer is called Psuedo because it stays isolated in the peritoneal cavity and does not enter the blood nor lymphatic system like most cancers, so in other words it does not spread outside of the peritoneal cavity.
It usually begins in the appendix and then escapes the appendix by bursting forth..."with the power of 10 billion butterfly sneezes" and then spreads along the walls of and onto the organs through-out the peritoneal cavity. The only course of action is surgery. There is NO IV chemo that is used to affect this cancer.
So I will be traveling to Pittsburgh, PA on Monday, the 16th, to prepare for surgery on the early morning of the April 18th, to remove as much of the cancer as possible, but with MY personal mandate to the surgical team of maintaining my quality of life. I wish no heroic surgical measures if only to rid my body of this cancer if it means my quality of life goes away.
The surgery is a quite extensive surgery called cytoreduction and debulking surgery along with a Hot chemo agent called Mitomycin C bath for the last two hours of the surgery. Normally, the surgery will entail stripping the walls and organs of the tumor, a sticky mucous type tumor. It usually means the removal of many organs, including the spleen, gall bladder, the ascending colon, mesentary and a fair bit of the small intestine. It is usual for this surgery to take between 12 & 14 hours
This blog was created ONLY in an effort to keep my friends informed of my progress post surgery. It will not be an ongoing saga of my course or outcome.
So my children will update this each day as they find out how I am doing way down in Pittsburgh...
I appreciate your support and prayers. I will hope to be back in Rochester by mid May. yes, I WILL be back at Home my Mid-May !
Cheers. - Scott
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