Total pelvic exenteration survivor: ‘Attitude is everything’

When I was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer in late 2023, I was treated initially near my home in Cincinnati. I know a lot of medical professionals there, so I got very good recommendations and excellent care.

But when the combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy still couldn’t knock out the last speck of colon cancer, my local surgeon referred me to Dr. George Chang, a colorectal surgeon she knew at UT MD Anderson. She said I needed a total pelvic exenteration (TPE). But she didn’t have the equipment or the expertise to do it. She didn’t know anyone else local who could do it, either.

What I found at UT MD Anderson

At UT MD Anderson, I met with Dr. Chang and his colleagues: urologic surgeon Dr. Louis Pisters and plastic surgeon Dr. David Adelman. Their concern, detailed discussions and sense of urgency have stayed with me.

I could see that Dr. Chang really loves his job. He went through almost every one of my scans with me, both to describe what we were seeing and to explain what it all meant. He visited me every morning in the hospital after my surgery, too — even on July 4, when he could have been out celebrating.

And, when he found a little spot on one of my lungs that looked suspicious for metastasis, he insisted that I have it zapped with radiation before the TPE. He didn’t want me worrying about it afterward, while I was recovering.

My total pelvic exenteration

I had the total pelvic exenteration at UT MD Anderson on June 25, 2025. It lasted 13 hours.

Dr. Chang removed the tumor, along with my bladder, prostate, a good portion of my colon and a bit of my pelvic bone during that procedure. Then, he irradiated the tissue around the original tumor site and Dr. Pisters created a urostomy. Finally, Dr. Adelman used tissue from other parts of my body to fill in the empty spaces left behind and put me back together.

I only had one minor complication, which was easily fixed with another quick surgery a few days after the first one. I spent five more weeks in the hospital, then a year slowly recovering at home.

My life after a total pelvic exenteration

I was in a lot of pain at first, so I couldn’t really sit down immediately after the surgery. Now, I lead a pretty normal life. I can’t lift more than 25 pounds. But I can still travel, socialize, attend sporting events and walk my new 75-pound lab rescue. My biggest concern is actually managing my energy levels, because I still have some residual fatigue from treatment.

Getting used to two ostomies was an adjustment, I’ll admit. But I’ve only had a few days when something went wrong with them. And, I’ll never have to get up in middle of the night to go to bathroom again. So, for me, that’s just my new normal.

Focusing on the positives

I believe attitude is everything. And, somebody’s always got it worse than I do. That’s why I try to focus on the positives.

As of my last follow-up, I am still cancer-free. My doctors checked my CEA level, which is a blood marker than can indicate the presence of colorectal cancer. My CEA level was down to 1. The normal range is between 0 and 5. At the time of my diagnosis, it was 730. A blood test that detects colorectal cancer DNA also came back negative.

Seeing a slate that clean after a stage 4 cancer diagnosis is almost impossible. UT MD Anderson helped me get there. I’m not afraid of dying, but I’m still grateful to be around for my two adult daughters. It’s been an incredible journey.

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