These appointments saved my life!
After two years of unexplained fatigue and abdominal pain that my doctor couldn’t link to a specific organ, I finally had an appointment that literally saved my life.
During a skiing vacation, my abdominal pain intensified to the point that I had to see the doctor on duty at the resort. He recommended that I have an ultrasound of my kidneys as soon as I got back.
So I made an appointment at the nearest radiology center. During the exam, the radiologist, while chatting with me about this and that, continued to examine not only my kidneys, but gradually my entire abdomen. Time was passing: he had already been scrutinizing my stomach from every angle for 45 minutes.
At the end of the exam, he told me very calmly that he wanted me to have a CT scan as soon as possible. He explained that his images were not clear enough to properly visualize all the abdominal structures.
I managed to get a CT scan quickly… and that’s when everything changed: the images were covered with bright spots. I then understood that something serious was going on.
The exceptional skill and vigilance of this radiologist allowed me to immediately begin the necessary tests to discover the source of my pain.
I was fortunate to be referred to a surgical oncologist in Bordeaux. I first consulted him as a specialist in gynecological surgery. Then, when the biopsies—after being sent around to various pathology labs—confirmed a diagnosis of peritoneal mesothelioma, this same surgeon, who was also a member of the RENAPE network, immediately took me under his care.
I underwent CRS (cytoreductive surgery) followed by HIPEC (Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy), then adjuvant chemotherapy. All my treatments took place in 2013. Since then, I have been in remission.
An inspiring encounter
As soon as I received my diagnosis, I began to conduct extensive research on the disease and on the world’s leading specialists in peritoneal mesothelioma. That’s how I discovered the name of Dr. Paul Sugarbaker, a leading figure in this field.
I had the opportunity to participate in a videoconference he was hosting. During this exchange, I explained my situation to him and asked if he would advise me to come to the United States for treatment at his facility or if I could stay in France.
Without hesitation, he replied that the best choice was to stay in France.
In September 2024, at the PSOGI conference in Lyon, I had the immense honor of meeting Dr. Sugarbaker in person. It was a very powerful moment for me, an opportunity to thank him warmly for his advice and his decisive influence at a crucial time in my life.