Victor's Progress: Traveling to Baltimore

Friday, April 10, 2009

Traveling to Baltimore

On Sunday, April 12, 2009, at 6am, we'll be heading to Baltimore to check in at the Tremont Hotel. Monday morning is check in at Mercy Hospital, and Tuesday at 6:00 am is the surgery (10-14 hours approximately).

After that, Victor will be in the ICU most likely until Thursday, April 16th – if everything goes well. He will be in the hospital for a minimum of 10 days and after that, he has to stay in the area for at least 5 days for follow up.

I will be staying either in the hospital with him or at the following hotel across the street from the hospital.

Tremont Plaza Hotel
222 Saint Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202

- Barbara

8 comments:

AnonymousApril 10, 2009 at 3:28 PM
Barbara and Vic have a very safe trip down to Baltimore on Sunday. Dave and I will be keeping you both in our thoughts. - Kristen Andriola
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousApril 11, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Just think, you will be traveling on a very special day, Easter. This means that G_D is certainly with you, He is sharing his day with you.
As always, Victor, you are and will continue to be in our prayers. Our prayers are also with you Barbara. Keep smiles on your faces and G_D in your heart.
In Jewish when someone is going someplace we say (translation) "go in good health and return in better health."
G_D will do for us what we can't do for ourselves. He will be with you as well as with your wonderful doctors.
Love ya,
Lois and Norman
ReplyDelete
Replies
Michele RosivackApril 11, 2009 at 12:03 PM
Victor & Barb,
We will be keeping you in our thoughts & prayers. Have a safe trip to Baltimore and we will be thinking of you and checking this blog often for any updates.

Love to you both,
Michele, Mike, Michael, Matthew & Mary
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousApril 12, 2009 at 9:36 PM
Barb & Vic,
You both are in our thoughts and prayers. I know that if it wasn't for the love that you both have for each other, Victor wouldn't be fighting this hard. Barb, your love will pull Victor through all of this. There is still so much more to see and do by you both.
Love you,
Judy & Ed
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousApril 14, 2009 at 10:03 AM
Victor and Barbara.. just want to let you know you are in my prayers and thoughts.

your friend always
Nicol
ReplyDelete
Replies
lin_1502000April 14, 2009 at 9:16 PM
Victor and Barbara,
You have been in our thoughts and prayers all day today more than usual. We have been waiting for happy news with baited breath and going about our business... yet thoughts of you popping up through our heads. God Bless and keep you safe.
Love, Eva, Linda and Cathy and families
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousApril 17, 2009 at 1:01 PM
Victor & Barbara:

You both are in all of our thoughts and prayers. Just found out how to post a comment. Love to you both.

Marge, Tracy, Don, Aiden & Jasmine
ReplyDelete
Replies
AnonymousApril 19, 2009 at 2:26 PM
I CAN PICTURE YOU IN THE PJS OUT ON THE STREET.ONLY YOU. GIVE MY BEST TO VICTOR HOPE ALL IS GOING GOOD. HEY AT LEAST YOU REMEMBERED TO BRING YOUR CIGARETTES. ALL MY LOVE TO BOTH

MARGE
ReplyDelete
Replies

Add comment

Vic's Story

As you may or may not know, Victor Barrales was diagnosed with colon cancer in April 2007.

His first surgery was on May 10, 2007 and it was believed that all of the cancer was removed but to improve his chances on a full recovery, chemotherapy treatment was advised for 6 months after the surgery.The chemotherapy drugs proved very detrimental to Vic’s health. He became very ill from the first treatment and had to be treated at the Sparta Cancer Center daily with intravenous infusions. His white cell count dropped extremely low and was prone to severe infections.

After his 10th chemo treatment, he was rushed to Newton Memorial Hospital with a very high pulse rate and the physicians at the hospital believed he was having a heart attack. It was determined by Vic’s cardiologist that the one form of chemo was causing this problem. He then decided to stop the chemotherapy and his first cancer marker test numbers came back normal. However, another test was taken in early January 2008 and the numbers came back unbelievably high indicating that the cancer had spread.

At the same time, a “lump” was discovered in the back of Victor’s leg and again, he had to have surgery to remove it. This, Thank God, proved to be noncancerous. Victor’s cancer marker test numbers, however, were now going up almost on a weekly basis. He went to see a new oncologist at the Carol Simon Cancer Center in Morristown and went through several Cat Scans. It was discovered that his cancer had indeed spread and was now in his peritoneal lining. He was immediately started on new types of chemotherapy with the hopes that this new cancer was caught early enough. This chemo did even more havoc to Vic’s body. He had to be hospitalized each time he was infused, sometimes twice in a month. He also came down with serious infections from one of the chemo drugs, which meant more surgery in August and again in December.

Now, Victor has been told that there is a surgery to help stop the spread of his cancer, but it is only performed by 4 doctors. Two doctors are located in Baltimore, one in Washington, DC and the other in California. This is very serious surgery, taking as long as 14 hours to perform and up to 21 days in the hospital. Complete recovery will be about 6 months. If the surgery is successful, it would mean not having to get chemo treatments unless the cancer returns.

Victor has been scheduled for this surgery (Cytoreductive) on April 14, 2009 by Dr. Sardi with Mercy Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. His latest Scans have shown that the cancer is showing in the surface of his liver but is still contained to the right side of his abdomen. We expect to be in Baltimore for a minimum of 3 weeks.

Victor's Progress

Friday, April 10, 2009

Traveling to Baltimore

8 comments:

Pop Pop and kids

Vic's Story

Blog Archive