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After 3 surgical procedures, her second youngster, and ongoing chemotherapy, Annie continues to be battling most cancers 3 years later.
Annie Clausen, age 34, was recognized with stage 4 colon most cancers whereas 14 weeks pregnant, on November 18, 2019.
Initially, the most cancers was found in her left ovary on November 9, 2019, by her OBGYN, Dr. Emily Sikking, which was surgically eliminated. When her eliminated ovary didn’t have the biomarkers for ovarian most cancers Annie underwent extra assessments to seek out out the place the most cancers metastasized from–her pathology report said it originated within the intestine someplace.
Fully modified by the data she had most cancers throughout her being pregnant and never precisely which one, Annie maintained a optimistic outlook regardless that she was in her second trimester. “In ten days, all the pieces occurred so shortly–I had no time to consider something,” she regals in her video testimonial.
9 days after her ovarian surgical procedure, a colonoscopy was scheduled at Saint John’s Well being Heart, in Santa Monica, California, which discovered a big mass in her colon. She was rushed into the Emergency Division at Saint John’s Well being Heart the place she met Dr. Anton Bilchik, Chief of Common Surgical procedure, Director of Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary, and Analysis Packages at each Saint John’s Well being Heart and Most cancers Institute. The very subsequent day she underwent a laparoscopic-assisted sigmoid colon resection, the place Dr. Bilchik eliminated 10 inches of her colon, an omentectomy, and an insertion of a chemo port for an obstructing colon most cancers. By Dr. Bilchik resecting the colon, Annie didn’t have to have a coloscopy bag, which saved her one other surgical procedure.
Annie was Dr. Bilchik’ s final scheduled surgical procedure on November 18, 2019. Absolutely conscious there have been two lives within the steadiness, Dr. Bilchik tells Annie, “I shall be laser centered,” which Annie mentions was when she felt a wave of reassurance, and confidence. The surgical procedure ended someday close to midnight.
“He knew he had two lives to care for. He saved telling me it was going to be superb.”
Throughout Annie’s five-day keep at Saint John’s Well being Heart, Dr. Bilchik visited daily to personally see how she and her child had been doing. “I don’t bear in mind waking up,” she says in her testimonial.
Life can change at any second
When Annie came upon she had stage 4 colon most cancers, her misery for her unborn youngster was acute, “Am I going to have the ability to have my youngster with all of the therapy I wanted?” Remedy for stage 4 most cancers is difficult sufficient on a wholesome individual’s physique, and since she had stage 4 most cancers, was 14 weeks pregnant, and wanted chemotherapy, The Gastrointestinal (GI) Tumor Board at Saint John’s Well being Heart convened to debate her therapy plan and surgical procedure. Their dialogue revolved round whether or not Annie’s youngster could be protected going by way of Annie’s many remedies.
Annie known as it, “the assembly of the minds.” What Annie is referring to is a multidisciplinary method to affected person care and therapy which permits for finest practices and individualized therapy plans. After the GI multidisciplinary tumor board met, and in the future earlier than surgical procedure, Annie was knowledgeable whereas in her hospital mattress she and her youngster could be okay. Annie’s reduction was noticed as she obtained what she had been hoping for—she was going to maintain her youngster, however nonetheless needed to battle most cancers.
The Gastrointestinal Tumor Board at Saint John’s is comprised of, Dr. Anton Bilchik, Dr. Trevan Fischer, Dr. Robert Wollman, Dr. Timothy Kristedja, Dr. Tracey Childs, Dr. Ora Gordon, in addition to a number of pathologists and fellows who rotate in.
19 weeks, and 9 rounds of chemotherapy later, Annie was induced at 35 weeks pregnant. Because the timing of her beginning needed to occur between her chemotherapy remedies, she couldn’t anticipate a pure beginning.
Annie determined to have her youngster at Saint John’s Well being Heart. Her OBGYN was Dr. Emily Sikking. One hour earlier than beginning, she had a blood transfusion, and was overjoyed when her docs instructed her she didn’t should have a C-section, saying, “every other place would have made me had a C-section.” This may have created extra problems for Annie in her state.
Annie’s daughter was born June 4, 2020.
“She is our little miracle child.”
Annie, already undergone two surgical procedures, current childbirth, and a complete of 12 chemotherapy remedies, was knowledgeable on June 10, 2020, the most cancers recurred some place else in her physique, the liver.
For her third surgical procedure, Annie felt it was proper to have it at Saint John’s with Dr. Anton Bilchik. “I knew I needed to return to Dr. Bilchik,” for metastatic liver most cancers, the place 30 % of the proper liver was eliminated, her gallbladder, her proper ovary, and incisional hernia. The surgical procedure lasted many hours.
In August of 2021, one 12 months after her third and final surgical procedure, the most cancers got here again. This time in her pelvic space. She obtained radiation and was placed on a trial capsule for focused cell remedy.
Since August of 2021, Annie has gone to chemotherapy each different week. She has obtained 30 rounds of chemotherapy infusion all through her battle with most cancers. “I’ve my good week, then I’ve my crappy week, that is my good week,” she says. When Annie was first recognized, she was a mom of a toddler. She now’s the mom of two wholesome youngsters. “Irrespective of how sick I felt, each morning I acquired off the bed as a result of I needed their days to be regular.” Annie’s miracle child is now 2 years previous.
“Irrespective of how sick I felt, each morning I acquired off the bed as a result of I needed their days to be regular.”
Why did somebody so younger and wholesome get colon most cancers?
Annie doesn’t know why or how she has most cancers, however is set to unearth the reply and unfold consciousness. She was not overweight, ate healthily, and had entry to well being care. Although she had some household historical past of most cancers, there have been no genetic markers or proof that confirmed she must be looking out for most cancers.
Colon most cancers is discovered both by a colonoscopy, or DNA testing of stools, which is 92 % correct. The colon most cancers beneficial screening age was just lately lowered to 45 from 50, however this might not have helped Annie, or her family members on the time of her analysis, age 34. Remember that most cancers just isn’t an older individual’s illness anymore—increasingly youths are being recognized with not simply colon most cancers, however different cancers as properly, as conveyed by Dr. Bilchik.
One wonders if Annie wasn’t pregnant how lengthy it could have taken her to find she had stage 4 colon most cancers, which on the time of discovery, had unfold to different elements of her physique. The miracle in Annie’s, “Miracle Child,” was that her being pregnant spared her life and never simply her daughter’s. “It took a village to get me by way of this. I solely listened to my docs and to folks in my nook.”
“The largest factor [for me] is being a spouse and a mom; I’ve a lot to reside for.”
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Saint John’s Most cancers Institute Advertising and marketing Division
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