I was diagnosed at age 35 with FAP – inherited from my Dad. In 1998 I had a total colectomy by Dr. Harnsberger. Five years later, I had my rectum removed in a proctectomy, a tubal, and an IPAA with a temporary ileostomy for 6 weeks then it was reversed. I had upper scopes and pouch scopes every 3-6 months.

On 6/12/2024, I had a 13-hour surgery at Lahey Burlington with Dr. Kleiman leading the surgery with a GYN Surgeon, Plastic Surgeon, and a Urologist. The surgery involved Excision Ileoanal Pouch, Partial Vaginectomy, Total Hysterectomy, Ventral Hernia repair, Bilateral Singapore FLAP. I was diagnosed with Mucinous Adenocarcinoma of small bowel and Jpouch – staged as pT4bNO. All 33 lymph nodes were benign.

I had a port placed on 8/14/2024 to 5/19/2025. I completed 2 out of 4 chemo due to enteritis and spent 21 days in the hospital. The chemo was preventative. I had an elective upper endoscopy, and a very large polyp was removed. That night I vomited blood and my permanent ileostomy was filling up with blood frequently so that was a 6-day hospitalization with iron infusions and a blood transfusion – a vessel apparently was nicked!

I have CT and MRI scans every 6 months. After my surgery, I had dehydration issues and was getting hydration 3 times a week at Lahey for a few months.

I have a positive outlook always; I have been in the medical field for 40 years as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist and a Mobile PET CT Technologist in the Oncology field.