Colleen Cunningham

Update: So I wanted to share what is going on with me.

End of May I had acute gas pain and cramping, severe distention and I thought it was a stomach virus or some weird Covid in my GI.. I’d feel better, work a day or two then it would come back with a vengeance. I went to Boca Regional for a Ct scan and BW and I was told it was most likely Crohn’s Disease and that I had inflammation in the distal aspect of my terminal ileum.

A week later I ended up in the ER at Bethesda East with the worst pain I had felt so far, and was diagnosed with a small bowel obstruction, that they again attributed to Crohn’s. I was discharged with some meds and diet changes and the pain and distention, convulsive, cramping abdominal pains continued.

I had a follow up with the GI and felt a deep, low pain that morning.. we scheduled a colonoscopy for the next week and through the weekend I became worse and more painful to the point I couldn’t walk and my legs and ankles were swollen, I felt out of breath.. so I immediately called Gary Juidiciani to come and take me to the ER.. I couldn’t even give him directions because my mouth started to swell and I couldn’t talk… and little did I know that my small bowel had perforated and I was septic. I’m guessing a few days until it got REALLY bad.. I also lost almost 30 lbs in a month..

I found out after emergency surgery and 2 days recovering in the ICU that the reason my small bowel perforated was due to a tumor in the terminal ileum, right near the ileocecal valve.

When my surgeon said Cancer, I was shocked, but she told me that they got it all out and I was lucky it hadn’t infiltrated my liver or other organs and only 1 lymph node. They cut a large portion of my small bowel and resectioned it and I have an ileostomy bag for a few months and I will start chemo when I’m a bit stronger, within the next month.

I’m in good spirits about the future.. I have good days and bad days..My pain is severe at times but managed and I am strangely happy that it’s most likely NOT Crohn’s Disease!

I was discharged on Tuesday and it’s definitely been a difficult transition from laying in a bed for over 2 weeks and now navigating my house with a walker and a hemoVAC.

I am so grateful for everyone that’s reached out and sent healing and for the visits and the meals and I’m especially grateful for friends like Ben Jammin who has gone above and beyond with the dogs and my house and bringing me random things I needed when I was in the hospital and Orit Paz who has been my bedside nurse maid or as we call it my bedside bitch” , doing my laundry, getting me water, bringing me clothes and also loving my fur babies.

I feel so supported and it’s really hard for me to ask for support and also NOT to be independent.. I’ve never felt so helpless at times but with friends and community, I have hope and am grateful.

I’m also excited to create some art from images of adenocarcinoma of the colon cytology. ️️

Hey everyone, I wish I could tell you that everything is OK, but unfortunately it's far from it. Colleen was rushed to the hospital earlier this week, and under went emergency surgery to save her life. She's currently still in the Intensive Care Unit at Bethesda Hospital East, and doesn't look like she'll be leaving anytime soon. Colleen is a fighter, but she can't fight for herself right now, and could really use our help from all the complications that would come from having your world changed in the worst way. I just ask you to help if you can, and think about what if it was you that needed help.

Thank you and Colleen thanks you