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Mr. Andrzej is already retired. Together with his wife, Krysia, he is raising a disabled son together. He recently heard the diagnosis: colorectal cancer. Mrs. Krysia, who is struggling with depression, supports her husband very much. Despite the great suffering that each of them experienced, they are a tight-knit team, a loving family.

Mr. Andrzej Kamiński and his wife Krysia are interviewed by editor Marcelina Dzięciołowska.

Were you completely he althy before your cancer diagnosis?

Mr. Andrzej: Not really, I have diabetes and high blood pressure. Besides, I was fine and there were no problems, no pain in the stomach, no problems with defecation.

When did something disturbing start to happen?

Mr. Andrzej: A few years ago I started to lose consciousness, I ended up in the hospital a few times, but no cause was found then. While on vacation in Gdynia, I lost consciousness again and was taken to the hospital, where it was found that the reason was diabetes. After that, it was quiet for a while until I passed out again.

What happened then?

Mr. Andrzej: My wife mobilized me to go to the doctor and I did. I was commissioned to have a blood test.

What were the results of this study?

Mr. Andrzej: It turned out that I have a tragically lowered level of hemoglobin and iron. As it had been going on for some time, I did not feel any problems with the loss of iron, because the body had already got used to it. Later we did more tests, the doctor also ordered a fecal occult blood test and it turned out that it was present. The rectal examination also showed bleeding, but at first we suspected it was due to the hemorrhoids, and I didn't pay much attention to it.

Various comorbidities delayed the diagnostic process in your case, right?

Mr. Andrzej: Yes, I did not have any in-depth morphological tests done before, only last year the doctor ordered an extended morphology, where the hemoglobin and iron levels were catastrophic. Previously, research in 2022 did not indicate anything disturbing. During the rectal examination, the doctor did not observe any changes, but at the request of my wife, he ordered a colonoscopy and gastroscopy.suspicion that it may be something cancerous.

These tests confirmed the presence of a tumor?

Mr. Andrzej: Yes.

Mrs. Krysia: I would like to add that in March 2022 my husband did research in connection with diabetes. As he mentioned, two and a half years later he fainted while eating. At first I thought he was eating too fast. We did not take any action then, because it was a temporary loss of consciousness. Unfortunately, this situation repeated itself and then I decided that we had to see a doctor. We found a previously unknown doctor who ordered a lot of tests and then we got a hemoglobin test result of 7.6, where the norm is at least 12 in a man, urea was 100 percent. higher than it should be, the other test results weren't good either. Due to the high urea, we went to the nephrologist, who pointed out hemoglobin, which indicated a massive internal hemorrhage that threatened to kill immediately.

What happened next?

Mrs. Krysia: We went to our family doctor who said the same, we repeated the tests that showed occult blood in the feces.

How did you react?

Mrs. Krysia: I was very nervous because I knew the situation in hospitals, that they were overcrowded. We couldn't find a place in the hospital. We called one of the private hospitals in the hope that they might have blood transfusions, but we were refused and told that they were afraid to "touch" such patients for fear that the patient would die. I called another private hospital in Warsaw and the head of hospital admitted my husband to the ward, there was only one free place in a single room. We settled the dues, filled out the documents and commissioned a COVID-19 test, the result of which we had to wait as long as 5 hours.

Your husband may have died during this time.

Mrs. Krysia: Yes, even though the room was single, we had to wait. After five hours, we got a test result that was negative. My husband had two blood units transfused, then gastroscopy and colonoscopy were performed, where it just turned out that there was cancer in the large intestine. This is how we found our way to the European He alth Center in Otwock.

Have you heard about the hospital in Otwock before?

Mrs. Krysia: Yes, but it turned out that I knew many negative opinions about another hospital in Otwock. I promised myself that I would never send my husband there because he is too important a person for me. During the search, it turned out that apart from the infamous hospital there is one more - the European He alth Center.

What happened when you went to ECZ in Otwock?

Mrs. Krysia: With the DiLO card, which she already haswe were lucky to find doctor Naser Dib. The biopsy showed the presence of a tumor. The doctor decided that urgent surgery was necessary. Later that day, we received information that there was a place for my husband.

What were the moments in the hospital like?

Mrs. Krysia: People with a good heart work at ECZ in Otwock, they gave us hope, thanks to them we believed that everything would be fine, it was extremely important and uplifting for us. Eventually, Dr. Dib performed the operation and everything worked out.

And after the surgery?

Mrs. Krysia: After the surgery, my husband was ordered to have a CT scan to see how it all recovered after the surgery. The operation was flawless, the doctor removed as much as was needed, no metastases, but it turned out there was an infiltration on the bladder, and with the new DiLO card we got a referral to Dr. Omar Tayara, another wonderful man. I would like to add that in the hospital in Otwock, every employee, from the warder to the doctor, is simply a good person. We encountered a different world there - as it should look like everywhere.

Is there any more information about the bladder infiltration?

Mrs. Krysia: We are still waiting. The husband will have a special camera inserted into his bladder, which will probably be able to confirm or rule out another cancer. I would like to sensitize everyone to get tested. As my husband mentioned earlier, he has diabetes and high blood pressure, but he had absolutely nothing to do before. He was, you could say, an example of he alth. When he suddenly passed out at dinner, we were really surprised, we didn't suspect that it could be such a serious matter. All the time our thoughts revolved around diabetes.

You have already defeated one opponent. Now you are waiting for another diagnosis.

Mrs. Krysia: Yes, we are waiting for the examination, during which the biopsy of the lesion in the bladder will be performed.

Are you in good spirits?

Mrs. Krysia: The fear is the worst, I am not afraid of anything. I have a lot of faith in me and I know that my husband will recover, thanks to which he also believes in it. He must be he althy and there is no discussion. Together we raise a disabled son who loves us very much and it cannot be otherwise, he must succeed.

Do you know if you will need chemotherapy?

Mrs. Krysia: We don't want chemotherapy, we hope it won't be necessary.

What was your first reaction to the diagnosis? Did you have a breakdown?

Mrs. Krysia: I had it, and it was terrible. At first, I didn't believe it. I was terribly afraid. With our son Krzyś,who is already an adult, we have traveled to doctors all our lives, so I know the realities of hospitals.

You accompanied your husband to doctors' visits?

Mrs. Krysia: I went to all visits with my husband, because he is rather cheerful and would agree to anything, but I have a sharper character and I can fight for my own. It made me calmer. I'm severely depressed, taking antidepressants, and that keeps me going.

What made you believe that you will succeed?

Mrs. Krysia: When I took my husband to the hospital, when Krzyś fell asleep in the evening, I cried. However, we found Dr. Dib, Mrs. Małgosia from Otwock, and regained our faith - we knew that we were in good hands.

How did you feel with the first diagnosis?

Mr. Andrzej: First, I was surprised and wondered why it happened to me. I started reading a lot about colon cancer and it turned out to be one of the most common cancers. I was afraid of hospitals, I never lay there. I was also afraid of the operation, I did not know what would happen next. Fortunately, I have the support of my wife and people working at ECZ in Otwock. They all know their trade and do their job as best they can.

How did Krzyś react to your illness?

Mr. Andrzej: He was very sad when he found out about it. At first, the atmosphere in our house was quite tense, but luckily everything returned to normal.

Fortunately, you have each other. May the positive attitude never leave you.

Mrs. Krysia: We will not give up. We love each other, we are friends and we cannot imagine our lives without each other. When we meet disinterested people, our heart grows because we know that good returns. We will help everyone who has helped us.

We're waiting for some good news after the bladder biopsy. Thank you for the interview.

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About the authorMarcelina Dzięciołowska Editor for many years associated with the medical industry. He specializes in he alth and an active lifestyle. A private passion for psychology inspires her to take it updifficult topics in this field. Author of a series of interviews in the field of psycho-oncology, the aim of which is to build awareness and break stereotypes about cancer. He believes that the right mental attitude can work wonders, therefore he promotes professional knowledge based on consultations with specialists.

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Category:

Oncology