Carol's Journey

Carol Garlow’s Healing Journey
• Mon., June 18 – minor surgery
• Tues., June 19 – 5 pm – came home from hospital
• Tues., June 19 – midnight, to Emergency Room due to discomfort
• Wed., June 20 – 7 am – CT Scan reveals a “mass”
• Wed., June 20 – 3pm – Gynecologist Dr. Shadi Omidi explains what we are facing and arranges hospital admission
• Wed., June 20 – 6 pm – Carol back in hospital
• Thurs., June 21 – MRI reveals multiple masses, reported at 5:30 pm
• Sat., June 23 – 1st meeting with Gynecological Oncologist Dr. Afshim Bahador
• Tues., June 26 – 7 hour and 15 minute surgery takes place, in which over 100 tumors are removed, the largest being the size of an orange; the following was done:
o Omentum removed (largest mass removed)
o Sigmoid (S shaped) portion of colon removed
o Appendix removed
o Three feet of small intestine removed
o Lymph nodes in pelvic area and lower abdomen removed
o Peritoneum (sac which encloses the organs of the abdominal cavity) removed
o Scraping of diaphragm
•Tues., July 10 – Carol discharged from hospital
•Fri., July 13 – in Emergency Room all day due to complications
• Fri., July 20 – in Urgent Care all day due to complications
• Sun., July 22 – back in Emergency Room all day
• Sun., July 22 – re-admitted to hospital
• Tues., July 24 – discharged from hospital
• Tues., July 31 – 1st meeting with Medical Oncologist Dr. Michael Crucitt
• Tues., Aug. 7 – Chemotherapy began – first of 8 rounds of chemo (approximately every 3 weeks)
• Sat., Aug. 11 – Carol’s birthday
• Wed., Aug. 15 – Carol re-admitted to hospital due to persistent nausea, weight loss, weakness
• Fri., Aug. 17 – Carol discharged from hospital
• Sat., Aug. 18 – Consult – Yeh Center for Natural Medicine, Upland, CA, Dr. Timothy Yeh
• Fri., Aug. 24 – Consult – Oasis of Hope Hospital, Tijuana, B.C., Mexico, Dr. Francisco Contreras
• Tues, Aug 28 – Chemo – round 2
• Thurs., Aug 30 – Second visit to Yeh Center for Natural Medicine
•Sun., Sept. 2-13 – Carol (and Jim) to Oasis of Hope Hospital, Oncologist Dr. Francisco Contreras
• Fri., Sept. 14 – Extensive Oasis of Hope Home Maintenance program began
•Tues., Sept. 18 – Chemo – round 3
• Fri., Oct 5 – Blood Transfusion due to anemia (2 units)
• Mon., Oct. 15 – Chemo – round 4
• Thurs., Oct 18 – First Neulasta injection to raise white cell blood count
• Sun.-Fri., Oct. 21-26 – Carol (and Jim) to Oasis of Hope Hospital
• Thurs. Oct. 25 – Discovery of lesion in liver at Oasis Hospital (was only now noticed now on the Aug 15th CT Scan), changing diagnosis of Stage 3 to Stage 4; however it was believed that the tumor has decreased in density from the Aug 15 reading to Oct 23 reading
• Thurs, Nov. 1 – Radiologist (San Diego – Grossmont Hospital) indicates that the tumor was, in fact, getting worse (not better as thought), more defined, with greater definition
• Tues., Nov. 6 – Carol’s CT and MRI scans reviewed by Dr. William Garlow, and he discovers three tumors (not merely one) were visible on June 20 scans, one disappearing in Aug 15 scan, and another disappearing in the Oct 23 scan. The one remaining lesion – viewable in all three scans – show necrotic (dead) tissue in Oct., a positive sign that the chemo is working
• Fri., Nov. 9 – Outpatient at hospital for CT Guided Needle Liver Biopsy
• Fri., Nov 9 – Medical provider denies request for 2nd opinion
• Mon., Nov 12 – Appealed to insurance carrier; coverage of “2nd opinion” is granted
• Mon., Nov 12 - Results from CT Guided liver biopsy confusing as it was “fatty tissue” that was neither ruled benign, nor malignant, thus decision to use IP chemotherapy application over IV was postponed
• Tues., Nov 13 –Chemo – round 5
• Wed., Nov 14 – Second Neulasta injection due to white cell count being at 1.6
• Wed., Nov 14 – 3rd Blood Transfusion, two units, due to hemoglobin being at 7.4
• Thurs., Nov 15 – 2nd opinion meeting with Surgical Oncologist Andrew Lowy, UCSD Medical School Cancer Center
• Mon, Nov 19 – Dr. Bahador (Gynecological Oncologist) visit
• Tues., Nov 20 – 1st meeting with Medical Oncologist Dr. Andrew Hampshire
• Sun., Nov. 25-Fri., Nov. 30 – Fri., Nov. 30 – Carol (and Jim) Oasis of Hope Hospital, third visit
• Fri., Nov. 30 – 5 Year Follow-up Program begins with Oasis of Hope Hospital
• Tues., Dec. 4 – Chemo – round 6
• Wed., Dec. 5 – Third Neulasta injection
• Thurs., Dec. 6 – meeting with Dr. Huott regarding neurothopy (nerve damage to the feet caused by the chemo)

FUTURE ANTICIPATED SCHEDULE OF TREATMENT
• Sat., Dec. 15 – Liver MRI
• TBA – PET Scan being ordered for liver
• TBA - Colonoscopy being scheduled for dilation of potential strictures
• TBA – Third visit to Yeh Center for Natural Medicine
• Thurs., Dec 27 (unconfirmed) – Chemo – round 7
• TBA – Fourth visit to Yeh Center for Natural Medicine
• Thurs., Jan 17 (unconfirmed) – Chemo – round 8 (final)