That is so very strange, Long ago she said the cancer was in her rectum and colon. A pelvic exenteration for locally advanced colorectal cancer includes removal of the colon. She has known about the pelvic exenteration since May, Did he not know until Friday what that involves?
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I think that is the sole reason why there is first a biopsy. The surgeon want to take a look what the status is and make a educated decision about a possible surgery.
Yes! I thought the colon was already included in the list of organs to be removed. Perhaps it wasn't considering that her cancer is a low rectal adenocarcinoma? Perhaps her colon was not involved previously?
They definitely know what PE involves.
I feel some empathy for what Matt is going through right now if he didn’t know until Friday that the colon, rectum and anus have to be removed.
Can someone please tell me what this surgery will involve - no links to medical journals please - what organs will be removed, reconstruction, etc?
I agree. The last thing surgeons need are surprises when they finally operate. The more info the better.
There is no way he didn't know! He was with her at that meeting with the surgeon more than half a year ago. The surgeon explained pelvic exenteration to them. They both were aware. After the meeting, Tiffany told Matt that 'her whole life will change' and Matt agreed. Matt even tried to explain a few things to Tiffany. They both knew.
Here is a patient explainer that someone linked to earlier today https://www.mskcc.org/cancer-care/patient-education/total-pelvic-exenteration
This is a good resource. You can browse what’s involved here.
Pelvic exenteration for women and people assigned female at birth - Macmillan Cancer Support
Pelvic exenteration (pelvic clearance) for women and those assigned female at birth is an operation (surgery) to remove multiple organs in the pelvis.
Organs to be removed (a couple of them could be preserved):
- Cervix
- Fallopian tubes
- Ovaries
- Uterus
- Vagina
- Anus
- Bladder
- Colon
- Rectum
- Urethra
Happy Christmas !
As an Oncology nurse I frequently have to do new patient teaching on chemotherapy and surgery. I can tell you that Tiffany and her family’s reactions after meeting with the surgeon are quite common. The amount of information patients receive is overwhelming and most shut down after about ten minutes with a blank look on their faces. Additionally, the diagnosis of cancer/surgery sends most patients into the Kubler Ross stages of grief, the most common of which is denial. I have had patients cry, laugh, get angry or just go completely blank during the teaching. Patients and caregivers have to be given time and continuing education in order to process their diagnosis and treatment course. For those outside of the cancer arena their behaviour may appear bizarre. But for those of us who deal with this everyday their response is completely normal.
People were speculating on here that Tiffany received good news a few days ago b/c her sister posted about getting pizza and a cake.
Now that we know what really happened I find this strange. I can understand wanting comfort food after learning that the tumor grew and that she needs surgery, but I still find it bizarre that she would post this online. It's not a happy occasion.
Now that we know what really happened I find this strange. I can understand wanting comfort food after learning that the tumor grew and that she needs surgery, but I still find it bizarre that she would post this online. It's not a happy occasion.
Tiffany told us many times that she does not listen to her doctors and does not do her own research about her cancer. Yes she is in denial but at the same time does not make any effort to learn about her diagnosis. She is not your regular patient (she herself believes that she is a special unique case). She has had this cancer for over a year, she has had the time to familiarise herself with it. She has been given information over and over again.
Thx this is excellent information. The reason we are confused by Tiffany and family’s reaction is that she was told about PE in May, and in June or July she got a letter from one of her doctors explaining it. Then she met with this surgeon in August. We have discussed here the possibility that Tiffany appears to be in serious/pathological denial and that Matt seemed a bit in denial also, but seeing them confused today after all those other visits and the letter was shocking.
It is quite common for patients not to delve deeply into their diagnosis. That is a very scary trip to make and many are not mentally or emotionally up to it. Again I say that to those on the outside of the cancer arena their behaviour may seem bizarre but to those who see it every day it isn’t.
In my opinion the surgeon Gave her the impression that the surgery was for her mental health. He should’ve done the surgery then and they should’ve pushed for it.
I agree! After reading a lot of comments on here, and on her video, lots of people were speculating about this. Many thought it was a sign that there was good news. I personally thought it was an indication of good news. When I am devastated by bad news, food is not on my mind at all, but I know everyone is different. I just think it was odd that her sister put it on her social media, in light of the somber situation. Even if I was in the mood to have cake and pizza, I wouldn’t be up to taking pictures and posting them on Instagram. I know that’s just me, but I think a lot of people are the same way.
This is all so sad. I’m going to rewatch the part in the car where they were all talking about it. When I watched earlier, I went into my usual state of shock and confusion that I experience in her videos. I want to see if any of it makes sense. I haven’t felt quite well ever since watching this video several hours ago.
Matt mentioned in the car the cancer hasn't spread anywhere else. I assume he means lung, liver etc. The only thing Tiffany mentioned about the scans is that the MRI ,CT and CAT scans all showed growth of the tumor. Matt called it a 'regrowth' which is nonsense. It sounds as if the area in which the tumor grew has now put removing the colon on the table when 8 weeks ago that was not part of the surgical plan.
Lolaj, I hope your family members can be helped by the recent advances made in cancer treatment, especially the new immunotherapy drugs. I was diagnosed with Stage 3A breast cancer in 2005. Truth be told it was a rough time. One thing that got me through it was a quote from Dr. Susan Love in her book about breast cancer. She said, "Even if you are given a 2 percent chance of survival than do everything you can to be in that 2 percent, because somebody needs to make up that 2 percent".So, now it gets real (unless of course we've been Punk'd, then ignore this post.
I write this with tears running down my face, for my 2 fam members w cancer, wondering how I will live, when they are gone.
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