I celebrated my 70th birthday in the hospital. Although I didn’t pay much attention to the signs my body was giving me, I led a healthy and active lifestyle. But after experiencing unusual fatigue, mild pain, and weight loss, I decided to see my doctor. He prescribed an MRI, and the diagnosis came back: peritoneal pseudomyxoma.
I was quickly referred to a specialist center, and the surgeon explained the situation to me very clearly. At the time, I thought that at my age, the operation he described seemed ambitious, almost presumptuous. But, encouraged by the surgeon and my children, I chose to trust them and let them guide me.
The operation, which lasted eight hours, went very well. The origin of the disease was in the appendix, and the surgeon completed the procedure by also performing a splenectomy, or removal of the spleen. Following the operation, gastroparesis and a splenic thrombus had to be treated. The diagnosis was type 1 cancer, requiring complete cytoreduction followed by HIPEC (hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy). After four days in intensive care, I spent 15 days in surgery.
I went straight home. Fortunately, my children were there for me every step of the way, and then my friends and family took over to support me. Today, my prognosis is positive: I am doing very well.
I have almost forgotten the moments of discouragement, pain, and fatigue, even though my children sometimes remind me of them fondly. I also cannot fail to mention my faith, which sustained me throughout this ordeal thanks to the prayers of my loved ones.
I would like to thank AMARAPE for listening to me with kindness, as well as the entire surgical team for their support and encouragement. Finally, I would like to send a message to patients facing this frightening diagnosis: trust the medical teams and keep hope alive, because it is possible to overcome this ordeal.