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I have received another round of bad news from my doctors. I have colon cancer. On Friday, I will learn what stage it is, what my options are for treatment, and the expected recovery odds and timeframe. The first symptoms appeared in October 2017, but the doctors couldn't perform any exploratory procedure due to my heart problems.
In September 2017, I had a heart attack on a Tuesday. On Thursday of the same week, I went to the doctor. I couldn't breathe when I laid down at night, so I thought it was my asthma acting up, and I needed an inhaler. The resident performed an EKG and took it to the supervising physician. About four minutes later, a swarm of doctors and nurses entered the room and informed me I was having a cardiac event. I had none of the common symptoms of a heart attack; no pain in my chest, no pain in my arm, no shortness of breath. I was rushed to the emergency room, where they performed a cardiac catheterization procedure. During the operation, they realized they were going to have to open me up. When I woke up in the ICU, I was told my heart had stopped six times on the table, and I was the recipient of a double by-pass.
Eleven months after the surgery, I went in for a check-up and was told I had more blockages, even though I had cut my cholesterol numbers in half. I went in for a cardiac catheterization to place stents in the blocked arteries. They put four stents in and called it a day. The next morning, I felt like a truck had parked itself on my chest, and they immediately took me back into the operating room to figure out what had gone wrong. Two of the stents had failed or become blocked. I have never understood what went wrong. Two more stents were added to the mix, and everything seemed fine. Of course, this reset the clock on the colonoscopy. Another year would need to pass before I could have the procedure.
Within twenty-four hours of being discharged, I was re-admitted with a high fever. I spent five days in the hospital on an IV antibiotic drip in addition to oral antibiotics.
In September 2017, I had a heart attack on a Tuesday. On Thursday of the same week, I went to the doctor. I couldn't breathe when I laid down at night, so I thought it was my asthma acting up, and I needed an inhaler. The resident performed an EKG and took it to the supervising physician. About four minutes later, a swarm of doctors and nurses entered the room and informed me I was having a cardiac event. I had none of the common symptoms of a heart attack; no pain in my chest, no pain in my arm, no shortness of breath. I was rushed to the emergency room, where they performed a cardiac catheterization procedure. During the operation, they realized they were going to have to open me up. When I woke up in the ICU, I was told my heart had stopped six times on the table, and I was the recipient of a double by-pass.
Eleven months after the surgery, I went in for a check-up and was told I had more blockages, even though I had cut my cholesterol numbers in half. I went in for a cardiac catheterization to place stents in the blocked arteries. They put four stents in and called it a day. The next morning, I felt like a truck had parked itself on my chest, and they immediately took me back into the operating room to figure out what had gone wrong. Two of the stents had failed or become blocked. I have never understood what went wrong. Two more stents were added to the mix, and everything seemed fine. Of course, this reset the clock on the colonoscopy. Another year would need to pass before I could have the procedure.
Within twenty-four hours of being discharged, I was re-admitted with a high fever. I spent five days in the hospital on an IV antibiotic drip in addition to oral antibiotics.
I have been in the hospital twice for observation due to bleeding I was experiencing in my bowels. Both times it was determined the bleeding wasn't severe enough to proceed with any operation or procedure that would require me stopping any of my heart medications. Turns out that was wrong.
I have used all of my life savings to pay the out of pocket expenses for all the previous hospitalizations, in-home nursing visits, tests, lab work, and prescriptions. I still owe the hospital for the last round of observation.
My expected out of pocket expense for the surgery and hospitalization is $10,000. I have no idea what the colostomy supplies will cost. I don't know if any in-home care will be required, and I don't know what kind of prescription costs to expect during the chemo/radiation phase of the treatment.
My expected out of pocket expense for the surgery and hospitalization is $10,000. I have no idea what the colostomy supplies will cost. I don't know if any in-home care will be required, and I don't know what kind of prescription costs to expect during the chemo/radiation phase of the treatment.
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William Wall
Organizer
Manorville, NY