My Daddy: Through The Eyes of a Daughter
This blog has taken me five years to write. My world was totally shattered on August 1, 2019 at 10:30 am. This is the day I lost my sweet daddy.
My daddy was diagnosed with a rare Appendix Cancer and a rare condition called Pseudomyxoma Peritonei in March 2019. He fought for five long months. My daddy spent most of the time in the hospital or hospice. His Appendix Cancer was in stage 4. My family and I were so heartbroken.
He went through two doses of chemotherapy. Then he had to stop chemotherapy because he was diagnosed with Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS). The best way to explain this is our intestine is located in between two arteries, and if the space between them is too small, the intestine is compressed or squished. This makes it more difficult for food to pass through. In my dad’s case, he needed a feeding tube inserted. Everything from here went downhill.
My daddy tried so hard to kick cancer in the butt. He fought a good fight as long as he could. In the end, cancer won. My daddy was always a healthy and active person. It was so painful to watch someone you love die. I never dreamed in a million years I would lose my daddy in my 40s. He had so much more living to do and places to see.
After my daddy died in August 2019, I was so lost as a Christian. It took me several years to come to terms with his death. Why did he have to die? Why couldn’t God heal him of the rare Cancer? Reading my Bible from start to finish and praying has helped me deal with his death. It is so hard to believe today marks 5 years since he passed away.
My daddy was a kind, loving person. He would do anything for you. To know him was to LOVE him. He loved gardening and his Florida Gators. I miss my daddy’s smile, laugh, and our talks.
These quotes come to mind when I think about my daddy
August is Appendix Cancer Awareness Month. The following paragraphs explain the Appendix Cancer and Pseudomyxoma Peritonei in more detail.
What is Appendix Cancer?
Appendix cancer is cancer that starts in the cells lining the inside of the appendix. There are several different types of cancers of the appendix. The different types are determined by which type of cells in the appendix become cancerous and what the cells look like under the microscope. The different types are associated with different behaviors (spreading to other organs or other parts of the body, rate of growth, ability to be completely removed with surgery, etc.) and therefore the types of treatment that are offered. Appendix cancers are the most common cause of Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP).
What is Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP)?
Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) is the progressive accumulation of mucus-secreting or mucinous tumor cells within the abdomen and pelvis after an appendiceal tumor bursts through the wall and spreads mucinous cells throughout the surrounding surfaces. As mucinous tumor cells accumulate, the abdominal area becomes swollen, and digestive function becomes impaired. In very rare cases, Pseudomyxoma Peritonei can arise from tumors located in organs other than the Appendix, but the vast majority originate from appendiceal tumors.
What causes Appendix Cancer and PMP?
Cells from a mucinous tumor (usually in the appendix) leak into the abdominal cavity and implant on the peritoneum or other abdominal organs. These tumors replicate and produce a mucinous byproduct that spreads throughout the abdomen.
Although highly unusual, specialists and researchers have cited the Ovary, Stomach, Colon, Pancreas, and other Abdominal Organs as potential sites of origin for PMP other than the Appendix. It is not known at this time when or why some tumors in those organs would cause PMP while others do not.
Who typically is diagnosed with Appendix Cancer and/or PMP?
Cancers and tumors of the Appendix are rare with an estimated incidence of 2-9 per 1 million people. Appendix cancer and PMP affect men and women almost equally. The average age of onset is between 40 and 50 years. It is generally thought that there is no genetic link to Appendix cancer and PMP. Risk factors that might predispose an individual to develop Appendix cancer and PMP are unknown.
What are the common symptoms of Appendix Cancer and PMP?
Many patients lack clearly defined symptoms until the disease has reached a relatively advanced stage. Appendix cancer and PMP are often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are relatively common to other conditions.
The following are some of the commonly reported symptoms:
What is the treatment for Appendix Cancer and PMP?
Treatment varies depending on the stage of the disease and the subtype, and whether the cancer is localized to the Appendix or has spread. An appendectomy is all that is required when cancer has not spread in the abdomen. For tumors and cancers that have spread into the abdominal cavity or into the local lymph nodes, intravenous chemotherapy using existing colon cancer regimens and/or additional surgery to remove the cancer is recommended. In particular, Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) accompanied by Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC), is delivered directly into the abdomen.
CRS/HIPEC is the standard of care for peritoneal surface malignancies of appendiceal origin. This procedure should be performed at an experienced HIPEC center. CRS/HIPEC has been shown to provide long-term survival in up to 90% of patients with low-grade pathology who are properly diagnosed and undergo this treatment early enough in the disease process to offer maximum benefit.
When patients are misdiagnosed, they are less likely to benefit from CRS/HIPEC, and even with a proper diagnosis, many patients are never even offered it. This treatment, unavailable to the patient population a generation ago, has turned what used to be an almost certain death sentence into hope for thousands of patients around the world.
What are the survival statistics?
Prognosis depends heavily on the pathology of the primary tumor, the stage at which the disease was diagnosed, the degree of cytoreduction achieved during surgery for extensive disease, the general health of the patient, and more. Slower-growing, low-grade, well-differentiated tumors and cancers tend to have a better prognosis than faster-growing, high-grade, and poorly-differentiated or signet ring cell cancers.
Appendix cancer is what claimed the lives of Audrey Hepburn, mystery author Sue Grafton, mystery author Carol Higgins Clark, and just this past January, actor Adam Canto.
Sources:
Appendix Cancer Pseudomyxoma Peritonei Research Foundation
Website — https://acpmp.org
God Bless!
My daddy was diagnosed with a rare Appendix Cancer and a rare condition called Pseudomyxoma Peritonei in March 2019. He fought for five long months. My daddy spent most of the time in the hospital or hospice. His Appendix Cancer was in stage 4. My family and I were so heartbroken.
He went through two doses of chemotherapy. Then he had to stop chemotherapy because he was diagnosed with Superior Mesenteric Artery Syndrome (SMAS). The best way to explain this is our intestine is located in between two arteries, and if the space between them is too small, the intestine is compressed or squished. This makes it more difficult for food to pass through. In my dad’s case, he needed a feeding tube inserted. Everything from here went downhill.
My daddy tried so hard to kick cancer in the butt. He fought a good fight as long as he could. In the end, cancer won. My daddy was always a healthy and active person. It was so painful to watch someone you love die. I never dreamed in a million years I would lose my daddy in my 40s. He had so much more living to do and places to see.
After my daddy died in August 2019, I was so lost as a Christian. It took me several years to come to terms with his death. Why did he have to die? Why couldn’t God heal him of the rare Cancer? Reading my Bible from start to finish and praying has helped me deal with his death. It is so hard to believe today marks 5 years since he passed away.
My daddy was a kind, loving person. He would do anything for you. To know him was to LOVE him. He loved gardening and his Florida Gators. I miss my daddy’s smile, laugh, and our talks.
These quotes come to mind when I think about my daddy
- Behind every great daughter is a truly amazing dad.
- The love between a dad and his daughter is unbreakable and is forever.
- Daddys and daughters have a special bond. She is always his little girl.
- Every father is his daughter’s first love --
the only man she can fully trust without a doubt and the same man who loves her unconditionally.
August is Appendix Cancer Awareness Month. The following paragraphs explain the Appendix Cancer and Pseudomyxoma Peritonei in more detail.
What is Appendix Cancer?
Appendix cancer is cancer that starts in the cells lining the inside of the appendix. There are several different types of cancers of the appendix. The different types are determined by which type of cells in the appendix become cancerous and what the cells look like under the microscope. The different types are associated with different behaviors (spreading to other organs or other parts of the body, rate of growth, ability to be completely removed with surgery, etc.) and therefore the types of treatment that are offered. Appendix cancers are the most common cause of Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP).
What is Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP)?
Pseudomyxoma Peritonei (PMP) is the progressive accumulation of mucus-secreting or mucinous tumor cells within the abdomen and pelvis after an appendiceal tumor bursts through the wall and spreads mucinous cells throughout the surrounding surfaces. As mucinous tumor cells accumulate, the abdominal area becomes swollen, and digestive function becomes impaired. In very rare cases, Pseudomyxoma Peritonei can arise from tumors located in organs other than the Appendix, but the vast majority originate from appendiceal tumors.
What causes Appendix Cancer and PMP?
Cells from a mucinous tumor (usually in the appendix) leak into the abdominal cavity and implant on the peritoneum or other abdominal organs. These tumors replicate and produce a mucinous byproduct that spreads throughout the abdomen.
Although highly unusual, specialists and researchers have cited the Ovary, Stomach, Colon, Pancreas, and other Abdominal Organs as potential sites of origin for PMP other than the Appendix. It is not known at this time when or why some tumors in those organs would cause PMP while others do not.
Who typically is diagnosed with Appendix Cancer and/or PMP?
Cancers and tumors of the Appendix are rare with an estimated incidence of 2-9 per 1 million people. Appendix cancer and PMP affect men and women almost equally. The average age of onset is between 40 and 50 years. It is generally thought that there is no genetic link to Appendix cancer and PMP. Risk factors that might predispose an individual to develop Appendix cancer and PMP are unknown.
What are the common symptoms of Appendix Cancer and PMP?
Many patients lack clearly defined symptoms until the disease has reached a relatively advanced stage. Appendix cancer and PMP are often misdiagnosed because the symptoms are relatively common to other conditions.
The following are some of the commonly reported symptoms:
- Appendicitis
- Increased abdominal girth
- Bloating
- Pain or discomfort in the abdominal region — can be a dull ache or sharp pain similar to appendicitis
- Hernia symptoms — often initially diagnosed as a hernia, especially in men
- In women, symptoms of an ovarian cyst or tumor — often initially misdiagnosed as ovarian cancer
- Ascites (fluid) buildup in the abdominal cavity
What is the treatment for Appendix Cancer and PMP?
Treatment varies depending on the stage of the disease and the subtype, and whether the cancer is localized to the Appendix or has spread. An appendectomy is all that is required when cancer has not spread in the abdomen. For tumors and cancers that have spread into the abdominal cavity or into the local lymph nodes, intravenous chemotherapy using existing colon cancer regimens and/or additional surgery to remove the cancer is recommended. In particular, Cytoreductive Surgery (CRS) accompanied by Heated Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC), is delivered directly into the abdomen.
CRS/HIPEC is the standard of care for peritoneal surface malignancies of appendiceal origin. This procedure should be performed at an experienced HIPEC center. CRS/HIPEC has been shown to provide long-term survival in up to 90% of patients with low-grade pathology who are properly diagnosed and undergo this treatment early enough in the disease process to offer maximum benefit.
When patients are misdiagnosed, they are less likely to benefit from CRS/HIPEC, and even with a proper diagnosis, many patients are never even offered it. This treatment, unavailable to the patient population a generation ago, has turned what used to be an almost certain death sentence into hope for thousands of patients around the world.
What are the survival statistics?
Prognosis depends heavily on the pathology of the primary tumor, the stage at which the disease was diagnosed, the degree of cytoreduction achieved during surgery for extensive disease, the general health of the patient, and more. Slower-growing, low-grade, well-differentiated tumors and cancers tend to have a better prognosis than faster-growing, high-grade, and poorly-differentiated or signet ring cell cancers.
Appendix cancer is what claimed the lives of Audrey Hepburn, mystery author Sue Grafton, mystery author Carol Higgins Clark, and just this past January, actor Adam Canto.
Sources:
Appendix Cancer Pseudomyxoma Peritonei Research Foundation
Website — https://acpmp.org
God Bless!
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