My Colon Cancer Timeline Date Time Symptoms Action Taken Conditions/Reactions Diagnosis
March, 2005 Like a mild stomach flu, had diarreah Rested, seemed to be better Under stress of job
April, 2005 Severe Cramps lasting 24hrs approx; but no diarreah Rested; Thought I had food poisoning from some Under less stress
almonds I bought at a
home show
8-May-05, Sun 5:30pm Extreme Severe Cramps lasting Under little stress from job
36hrs approx; but no diarreah;
Pain way over a 10
9-May-05, Mon 5:30pm Went to local hospital ER My wife drove me into ER, they had me wait. I asked for a gourney to lie on they declined. I laid on the floor. They
brought me a blanket. After a few minutes they brought me
inside, and sat me at a nurses desk to get my information. The nurse got up to do something, I laid on the floor next to
her desk. They finally get me on a gourney.
May 9,2005 1:00am Local hospital cannot take me because my insurance will only Transferred to UC Davis hospital Pain killers given, ultrasound, MRI, CT scan, X-rays performed. ER doctor sees no reason for cramps, but notices certain pancreatic enzymes are
cover University of California Davis Hospital in Downtown. elevated; he believes I have an accute pancreatitis
So they begin the transfer
process via ambulance, to take me to downtown UC hospital.
10-May-05, Tue 3:30am Admitted to UC Davis On IV fluids, had not eaten since dinner, May 8, 2005
10-May-05, Tue Mob of Doctors decend upon Except for lower back pain (due to a degenerative disc
me, MRI, CT Scan, Blood Tests condition), I have no other abdominal cramps or pains.
Run
11-May-05, Wed Released No Pains other than lower back pain Accute Pancreatitis, UC Davis doctors agree
with trauma doctors at other hospital; I should
eat low fat, blander, softer foods. Condition
should resolve, and appears to have already,
because elevated pancreatic enzyme levels are back to normal
16-Jun-05, Thu Went in for an upper GI Asked technician if he saw anything, says he saw some
test blockage in my intestine, but I will have to speak with a
specialist to get a diagnosis
My Colon Cancer Timeline Date Time Symptoms Action Taken Conditions/Reactions Diagnosis
June 20,2005 2:00am Severe abdominal cramps; has been ocurring for at least 24hrs; Ambulance checks me into local hospital; they Pain is managed through administered pain killers, and IV is given Transferring me to UC Davis facility downtown
Had my wife call for an ambulance, rather than attempt administer pain medication; perform
to drive me to ER and go Ultrasound, MRI and CT
through their waiting formalities scan, I tell them that I just had an upper GI
performed where they did see some blockage in the
lower intestine; This is the
way to get into ER, no
waiting, no filling out
forms sitting up; I also tell
them they will have to
move me to UCD Davis
downtown facility
June 20,2005 8:00am Cramps have been negligible, UC Davis doctors at least Pain is managed through administered pain killers, and IV is
managed pain through pain medication 12, decend upon me at different times, all asking given
the same questions, I tell
them all the same things, I told the original ER
doctors
23-Jun-05, Thu Colonoscopy Confirms, "Large cecal mass distal traverse colon a
pedunculated polyp 7 to 8mm"
23-Jun-05, Thu PIC Line installed I have had nothing to eat, dinner, June 19, 2005; They PIC line is not in the right place, instead of
suggested a PIC line due to problems with IV, and to provide nutrition being near the heart, it ends up in my neck. They suggest waiting a day to see if drops into
place.
26-Jun-05, Sun A strange sore throat develops, it does not feel like a normal PIC Line Related Nurses are told, but know one knows what the cause would be.
strep throat, but it can be seen from the outside
27-Jun-05, Mon A fever develops; I am scheduled for surgery I mention to a student Dr. of my sore throat, and They will cancel the operation if necessary, and check to see if the PIC line is the cause of
tommorrow she thinks it’s the PIC the infection
line causing the problem
28-Jun-05, Tue Fever PIC Line Fever still going strong They determine it is the PIC line, we ask the medical team to be removed of the case.
Surgical team takes over case, and has PIC line removed, and has antibiotics administered
My Colon Cancer Timeline Date Time Symptoms Action Taken Conditions/Reactions Diagnosis
29-Jun-05, Wed Fever starts to come down Antibiotics
1-Jul-05, Fri Fever is down; Operation to I am told this morning Extreme pain after coming out of surgery
happen that my gall bladder will also have to be removed,
in addition to the colon
resection in the
ascending colon, to
remove the tumor
9-Jul-05, Sat Discharged from hospital
19-Jul-05, Tue 1:45pm Met with Oncologist She would like to start chemo treatments by Aug 17, Weds, She talks about FOLFOX for adjuvant chemo,
but tell her I am getting a 2nd opinion that day. So we will Flouroracil, Leucovorin, Oxaliplatin
probably start the week after, Aug 24, Weds
17-Aug-05, Wed 2:00pm Visit with Dr. Alan Venook, UCSF for a 2nd opinion. He says the standardized treatment FOLFOX
Although they had me send the pathology slides to UCSF, he does not re-exam pathology, and the pathology slides are regimen is appropriate, he himself might lighten up on the Oxaliplatin, and discontinue it
not re-examined by another pathologist. He says after seeing colon cancer tumors for so many years, he can tell in the 9th treatment to avoid neuropathy condition. He says there is a unpublished
its cancer, by looking at the x-rays, which I show him that day. Hmmm..... study being done, that shows that cutting back on the Oxaliplatin in the 9th treatment, may not
make difference on the outcome.
22-Aug-05, Mon 2:00pm Met with Oncologist Talk about treatment, 2nd opinion
23-Aug-05, Tue 10:30am Central Port to be installed in my chest by My lung is accidently punctured, during the procedure. They have to decompress my chess, by making an incision They will watch, and consequently my chemo treatments which were scheduled for
the Trauma Surgeon who performed my colon in my chest cavity and inserting a tube to relieve chest pressure. tommorrow 8/24 is now cancelled.
resection
26-Aug-05, Fri 3:00pm Released from Hospital Dr. D'Andre would like to start chemo
treatments Weds, Aug 31. but I have
reservations about my recovery, and the chemo affecting it. Also I am starting to
question the care at UC Davis Sacramento
30-Aug-05, Tue We decide to start chemo
Sept 6, 2005, Tues
Sept 6, 2005, Tues Chemo Starts Feeling a bit drugged, and a bit slowed up, but otherwise OK FOLFOX 6 is the regimen; Pump pack is
given to continue the Flouroricil administration
at home
7-Sep-05, Wed Chemo Home Day Feeling more drugged, head is in a fog, and a little more tired
8-Sep-05, Thu Chemo Pump Returned Feeling much worse after pump is removed. Very Very Nauseated, Tired, and mind is very
nauseated, and extremely tired. I got on the