19 mm sessile polyp found in 88 year old

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richelen
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Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2012 5:06 pm
Facebook Username: richelen89@comcast.net

19 mm sessile polyp found in 88 year old

Postby richelen » Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:38 am

My father who is 88 years old underwent a colonoscopy on April 6 which revealed 19 polyps. He had 4 benign polyps 5 years ago. Of the 19 polyps, 18 were benign. The remaining polyp which was not removed or [b]biopsied was a sessile one of 19 mm. The unfortunate part of this story is that subsequent to the procedure, my father had to have a pacemaker implanted due to the fact that he failed both EKGs at the beginning of the colonoscopy procedure. It has been recommended and scheduled on August 23, an EMR procedure to remove the polyp. I am outraged by all of this. Granted that I am a colon cancer survivor, I am not sure that my father should proceed with the EMR procedure. The pacemaker procedure caused tremendous anxiety for my father which has led to major clinical depression. I am very upset that the gastro doctor performed the procedure when there were apparent heart issues. Secondly, the Gastro doctor who will perform the EMR procedure will not delay the procedure until October. He indicates that the first gastro doctor who performed the colonoscopy did not like the look of the polyp or size, but no biospy was taken. Second, I do not believe that in an 88 year old a polyp is going to grow at an accelerated speed.
In 2009, I was diagnosed with 2B T3,No, Mo colon cancer. I completed 12 rounds of chemo, and I have not had any recurrence. I was 48 at the time of my diagnosis. Recently, I completed a cancer genetic risk assessment for Familial polopysis which came back negative. Another sad thing about this entire story is that my daughters wedding is less that a month after the EMR procedure for my Dad. If there are complications, he may need a bowel resection. I am frustrated, and very concerned. I will be with him when he goes through the procedure. All of this is disappointing, and honestly I do not believe the sessile polyp will be the cause of his death.

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: 19 mm sessile polyp found in 88 year old

Postby Lee » Sat Aug 11, 2018 3:41 pm

richelen wrote: . . . All of this is disappointing, and honestly I do not believe the sessile polyp will be the cause of his death.


At 88, I agree with this statement. At 88 yrs of age, it will be a very sloooow growing tumor IF it is cancer. What does your dad want to do? What is an EMR procedure?

If your dad does not want the procedure, tell the GI NO!! It's your dad's body and he has the right to decide yes or no. Personally at his age, just make him comfortable and happy. Medical procedures may not be the best option for him (at his age).

Good luck, keep us posted.

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

MissMolly
Posts: 645
Joined: Wed Jun 03, 2015 4:33 pm
Location: Portland, Ore

Re: 19 mm sessile polyp found in 88 year old

Postby MissMolly » Sat Aug 11, 2018 6:47 pm

Richelen:
I think our medical system fails by not respecting the natural life process, birth to death, and promoting increasingly invasive procedures and advanced life support where Palliative Care (care and comfort) and letting people that they are loved and cared for is the more realistic and preferred outcome.

I am 57 years of age and in Palliative Care due to a confluence of medical issues that leave me with fragile health. I have chosen a pathway forward that will NOT involve any invasive procedures, nor surgeries, nor IV antibiotics, no parental nutrition, nor ventilator support . . . you get the picture. My medical team is in full support of my decision. Palliative Care treats the entire person, along with psychological counseling and support for immediate family. It is where I need to be.

I have an elderly 82 year old gentleman as my neighbor in the condominium complex where I live. He underwent 4 vessel coronary bypass surgery 4 months ago, at the urging of his cardiologist but with an unsettled sense within his own mind and personal thoughts.

The outcome has not been favorable. While my elderly neighbor survived the bypass surgery, the prolonged stress response and endocrine fatigue along with consequences of air emboli released while being on heart bypass during surgery, has left him languishing between repeated hospital admissions and custodial nursing home care. His trajectory has been one of a downward spiral, riddled with ongoing pain, placement of a G-tube for tube feeding, a tracheostomy, indwelling carheter, and exasperation. As his wife comments with sorrow, “Mac is not the same person, and never will be again. He is existing but not living. It is all so unfair.”

We each have our own uniquely personal lens through which we view the sanctity of life. I do not want for myself to be prolonged or excessive by medical care that places me in a life space that I do not want to be in.

Other people want every medical support available up to them up to the end.

At 88 years of age, your father has had a “good run,” so to speak. Giving your father the knowledge that he is loved and comforted trumps any intrusive medical intervention with risk of compounding complications, in my opinion.

Have a gentle but open conversation with your father, son to father. Explore his thoughts. Be patient in listening. Offer your opinions. You know your father as only a son can. You know your father better than any physician. You have benefit of a life share as a family and the tools at hand to make the decision best for your father as a unique person, n = 1.

A long post, I apologize. Take what works for you and disregard the rest.

Sending you blessings and a warm hug, because you deserve one.
Karen
Dear friend to Bella Piazza, former Colon Club member (NWGirl).
I have a permanent ileostomy and offer advice on living with an ostomy - in loving remembrance of Bella
I am on Palliative Care for broad endocrine failure + Addison's disease + osteonecrosis of both hips/jaw + immunosuppression. I live a simple life due to frail health.

child#6
Posts: 30
Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 7:51 pm
Facebook Username: John Smith

Re: 19 mm sessile polyp found in 88 year old

Postby child#6 » Sat Aug 11, 2018 7:25 pm

Just because a doctor recommended something it doesn't mean you have to follow it.Unless your Dad is an extremely spry 88 year old putting him through all that does not feel right to me.I know I would not want my dad to be recovering from a surgery such as that at 88. You know your dad best. Talk with him and make a decision. It would be a disservice to your cargo have a long recovery process and o recovery is easy at that age.

boxhill
Posts: 789
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2018 11:40 am

Re: 19 mm sessile polyp found in 88 year old

Postby boxhill » Sat Aug 11, 2018 8:56 pm

My mother is 95 years old and in excellent health, mentally and physically. She lives by herself in her house, takes care of herself, drives (safely), takes no meds, reads the WSJ and The Economist, as well as novels. Even in her case I would really hesitate to consider surgery for something that would likely take many years to affect her. On the other hand, I would not discount treatment if it would improve her situation in the relatively short run. I would not write off anyone due to age. I think too often too many assumptions are made on that count alone. There is old old, and there is young old.
F, 64 at DX CRC Stage IV
3/17/18 blockage, r hemi
11 of 25 LN,5 mesentery nodes
5mm liver met
pT3 pN2b pM1
BRAF wild, KRAS G12D
dMMR, MSI-H
5/18 FOLFOX
7/18 and 11/18 CT NED
12/18 MRI 5mm liver mass, 2 LNs in porta hepatis
12/31/18 Keytruda
6/19 Multiphasic CT LNs normal, Liver stable
6/28/19 Pause Key, predisone for joint pain
7/31/19 Restart Key
9/19 CT stable
Pain: all fails but Celebrex
12/23/19 CT stable
5/20 MRI stable/NED
6/20 Stop Key
All MRIs NED

richelen
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2012 5:06 pm
Facebook Username: richelen89@comcast.net

Re: 19 mm sessile polyp found in 88 year old

Postby richelen » Sat Aug 11, 2018 9:10 pm

Lee wrote:
richelen wrote: . . . All of this is disappointing, and honestly I do not believe the sessile polyp will be the cause of his death.


At 88, I agree with this statement. At 88 yrs of age, it will be a very sloooow growing tumor IF it is cancer. What does your dad want to do? What is an EMR procedure?

If your dad does not want the procedure, tell the GI NO!! It's your dad's body and he has the right to decide yes or no. Personally at his age, just make him comfortable and happy. Medical procedures may not be the best option for him (at his age).

Good luck, keep us posted.

Lee


My Dad is so afraid of dying or receiving a diagnosis of colon cancer that he is obsessed with have the polyp removed. The EMR procedure is less invasive than a bowel resection, however, if there are complications, a resection will be needed. My Dad sadly wants the procedure. I will be with him on August 23.

Lee
Posts: 6207
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 4:09 pm

Re: 19 mm sessile polyp found in 88 year old

Postby Lee » Sat Aug 11, 2018 11:15 pm

richelen wrote: . . . The EMR procedure is less invasive than a bowel resection, however, if there are complications, a resection will be needed. My Dad sadly wants the procedure. I will be with him on August 23.


Please consider getting a 2nd opinion with a "BOARD CERTIFIED" colon rectal surgeon. Those folks have the "EXTRA YEARS" of training. Far beyond that of a GI doc. Sometimes a 2nd opinion will say "Sir, if you were my dad or grandad, I would recommend this route". Again the extra training will go along way in helping the patient to see things in a different perspective. At your dad's age, 2nd opinion (and maybe a 3rd) is not a bad idea.

Only hoping for the best outcome for your dad,

Lee
rectal cancer - April 2004
46 yrs old at diagnoses
stage III C - 6/13 lymph positive
radiation - 6 weeks
surgery - August 2004/hernia repair 2014
permanent colostomy
chemo - FOLFOX
NED - 16 years and counting!

richelen
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2012 5:06 pm
Facebook Username: richelen89@comcast.net

Re: 19 mm sessile polyp found in 88 year old

Postby richelen » Sun Aug 12, 2018 6:22 am

Thank you Lee for your wise words. I have suggested a second opinion as well. I will continue to pray and obviously will be there for my Dad. If I had not been persistent about my health issues nine years ago before my colon cancer diagnosis, I am not sure I would be here today.


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