«The doctor said: you are too obese for such an operation» [PATIENT STORIES]

– I sat in despair for two days after I received the diagnosis of “endometrial cancer”. And the words of the gynecologist in my city hospital: you are too obese for endoscopic surgery. Fortunately, I did not go to the da Vinci robot procedure at the Hospital in Klinach in Krakow, says Elżbieta, 62, who shared her story.

1. The diagnosis knocked Mrs. Elżbieta off her feet. «I just told my husband, I spared this information for the children. I was under the illusion that it was a mistake »- says the woman
2. The patient heard that she was too obese for endoscopic surgery. So she started looking for other treatment options herself
3. This is how she ended up in the Hospital in Klinach in Krakow, where the cancer was removed with the help of the da Vinci robot
4. You can find more such stories on the TvoiLokony home page

Uterine cancer – the story of Mrs. Elżbieta

Then I thought to myself: if it’s not the kidneys – I remember how my mother hurt. But it was Christmas, so I didn’t sign up for the doctor until after it. In mid-April, I asked the doctor for a referral for an ultrasound of the abdominal cavity – I thought I would check it just in case. I also signed up for a gynecologist. I went to see him in May full of anxiety, because I was on my last visit six years ago. He did a vaginal ultrasound and said casually: “heterogeneous uterus.” What does it mean? There was no further explanation, the doctor only referred me to the city hospital for curettage of the uterus.

Uterine curettage, or abrasion, is aimed at exfoliating the uterine mucosa and collecting tissues for examination.

I was waiting for my due date. I came to the hospital in the morning, they anesthetized me, they did the surgery, and in the afternoon I was home. I was supposed to wait, the gynecologist said that during the procedure they collected material for histopathological examination.

I waited almost until mid-July. The diagnosis almost killed me – endometrial cancer. I just told my husband, I spared this information for the children. Why worry them, maybe it’s a mistake? I was deluding myself. The result of the second examination only confirmed the diagnosis.

I was given a DILO card at the hospital and told that I had to “delete everything” quickly. I asked my gynecologist about endoscopic surgery, but I was told that I was too obese for the procedure. This is how my visit ended, and I left crying and powerless.

I sat there for two days, dull with despair. On the third, I opened my computer and entered “endometrial cancer” in the search engine. There is information that they have a da Vinci robot in the Krakow Hospital in Klinach and that such cancer can be removed for free under the EU program. And that the da Vinci robot can cope with patients like me, ie “heavier” patients.

On July 12, I called Krakow. A lady picked up from the reception and asked to leave contact. To my surprise, after 15 minutes of calling back Agnieszka, she tells me to send the test results that I have. I am sending it, calling for the second time and asking me to do a tomography of the abdominal cavity and a chest X-ray and come to Krakow with all these results.

Further part under the video.

Endometrial cancer – operation with the da Vinci robot

I am in Krakow, at the Hospital in Klinach. They do another biopsy and say that I have qualified for this operation with a robot and that the operation will be on August 13.

I open my eyes. I’m in the same room that they picked me up from hours ago. God, how good it is, I think to myself. The nurses noticed that I woke up and they say that it is all over.

Two months have passed after the surgery, I’m at home. I live a normal life, but I feel sorry all the time: why did they tell me about this obesity all the time, instead of showing me another option? I had to find a solution for myself. Why? To this day, I do not know. After all, the doctor should probably inform me about the possible treatment options.

More and more often, however, my thoughts go elsewhere. Canary Islands, Madeira, or maybe Cape Verde – where will I go or fly in this health? It’s a simple choice!

Uterine cancer surgery in Mrs. Elżbieta was performed free of charge using the da Vinci robot at the Hospital in Klinach in Krakow. The hospital is co-financed by European funds. Patients from all over Poland can apply to the program by phone at 785 170 300, or by sending an e-mail to the following address [email protected] Robotic surgery is one of the best options for patients with endometrial cancer who have a history of additional stresses, such as obesity, diabetes or hypertension, which increase the risk of complications. Minimally invasive procedures are safer for these people, besides, small wounds after a robotic procedure heal better and faster, which is not always the case in the case of “open” procedures performed in oncological gynecology.