‐Albert Anderson
After a third colonoscopy in 2013, my gastroenterologist explained that a large polyp could not be removed because paring down the polyp any further could damage my colon. The doctor had discovered several polyps and removed them in previous colonoscopies that year, but the larger one remained after his attempts to pare it down.
I also started noticing some blood in my stool, which the gastroenterologist attributed to a burn from the radiation treatment I had undergone for prostate cancer 3 years before. The gastroenterologist recommended that I return for a follow-up test in 6 months.
Although the gastroenterologist recommended that I wait 6 months for a follow-up test, my wife and I decided that I should get a second opinion at Fox Chase Cancer Center, where I had been successfully treated for prostate cancer 3 years prior. Within a few days, I had an appointment with Dr. David Weinberg, who is chief of the gastroenterology section at Fox Chase.
Dr. Weinberg was candid, knowledgeable, and very nice. He took care of the radiation burns and discussed options for treating the polyp. He recommended that I meet with Dr. Paul G. Curcillo II, chief of the minimally invasive surgery division at Fox Chase.
My wife, Hyacinth, and I met with Dr. Curcillo, who explained the surgical procedure that he recommended for me, a laparoscopic resection to remove my right colon. Hyacinth and I discussed my options and decided I should proceed with surgery as a proactive measure so that no hidden cancer cells could later be found in the polyp. I had had prostate cancer and didn’t want to continually worry about the possibility of having my colon punctured during future paring down procedures.
On September 22, 2014, Dr. Curcillo removed my right colon during a minimally invasive single-port access procedure. When I woke up in recovery, I asked my wife is everything was OK. I had no pain and was so relieved. I had an awesome medical team, and my polyp biopsy came back benign. I left the hospital on the second day after surgery with a scar that is completely hidden within my umbilicus. I give thanks to Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, and my medical team.
I am the father of 3 and the grandfather of 4. I am feeling well, and I know that the care I received at Fox Chase made that possible.