Medical Stuff

Karen is was scheduled for surgery at Mayo Clinic at 8:30 am on September 9th, 2013. She has stage IV cancer of unknown primary origin colorectal cancer. The surgery will be was a cytoreductive surgery combined with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC). It's often referred to as "The mother of all surgeries."

The survival rate of the surgery is 95% - only 1 in 20 don't make it. She is expected to lose roughly 20 pounds during recovery and won't be able to drink liquids for 3 to 5 days, and have no solid food for 8 to 12 days. Her stay at the hospital is expected to be 15 days, which would put her release on the 24th. (If she has to stay longer, it is covered by her insurance.)

The 5 year survival rate for stage IV cancer of this type, with the HIPEC treatment path, is around 30%. Double that then without it.