From Numb to Hopeful to No Signs of Cancer

By Rick Sell

Allentown, PA

August 10, 2024

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In early November 2023 I underwent what was supposed to be a routine laparoscopic surgery at Lehigh Valley Health Network in Allentown, PA to remove my appendix.  I wound up there after returning home from a trip to South Dakota with my wife Joann and complaining to my family doctor about a pain in the right side of my belly.  He wisely suggested I get a CT scan of my abdomen which revealed a misshapen appendix and, after consulting with a fellow surgeon, the two doctors agreed it should be removed.  

Rick and Joann on their trip to South Dakota

Little did I realize how my world – and my family’s -- would be rocked to its core that day of surgery when my surgeon aborted the operation after discovering my abdomen was filled with jelly-like tumors he recognized as a form of cancer.  Further testing resulted in a diagnosis of Stage IV high-grade adenocarcinoma with extensive peritoneal carcinomatosis…quite a mouthful for a disease I later learned was a rare one-in-a-million cancer.  As in my case and in most men, it typically begins growing in the appendix and eventually breaks out, spilling its “tumor seeds” all throughout my abdomen.  By the time my cancer was discovered, individual jelly-like tumors were growing all over the inside of my peritoneum and on most of the organs in my belly. 

Numb is the best description of how I felt upon receiving a diagnosis that suggested I had less than a year left to live.  Panic, hopelessness and immense sadness soon followed as the reality of having a terminal illness set in.  My family was devastated.

Within a week of receiving my diagnosis Joann and I met with one of the top oncologists at LVHN to discuss possible treatments for my cancer.  His recommendations focused on the use of chemotherapy to attack the disease and buy me some time but he admitted that mucinous tumors like mine were difficult to penetrate with chemo due to the limited blood flow they receive. 

Near the end of the discussion my oncologist suggested I may want to receive a second opinion from doctors located in both Baltimore, MD and Pittsburgh, PA who specialized in treating advanced appendix cancers like mine through aggressive surgery and heated chemotherapy. 

With nothing to lose, we quickly scheduled a consult with Dr. Armando Sardi at Mercy Medical Center in Baltimore just two weeks later.  I’ll never forget that meeting.  Dr. Sardi described in detail their procedure involving cytoreductive surgery (CRS) to remove the visible tumors followed by the HIPEC procedure where a heated chemotherapy solution is circulated throughout the abdomen to kill any remaining cancer cells.  He was so upbeat and confident of this treatment plan that he went so far as to say “I won’t just give you a few months of your life back, I’m going to CURE you.”  That’s all we needed to hear.  At that moment Dr. Sardi gave us something missing to that point – HOPE – and before we departed for the 3 hour drive home I was scheduled for surgery just two weeks later on December 7. 

Rick right before surgery

My wife and I have nothing but praise for the expertise and care I received by Dr. Sardi and his entire team during my ordeal at Mercy.  And that includes all the nurses and support staff who took care of me in the weeks following my 12-hour surgery and HIPEC procedure.  Unfortunately Dr. Sardi discovered my cancer was more widespread than expected, impacting many of the organs in my abdomen.  As a result my spleen, gall bladder, parts of my liver, the omentum (the sheet of fatty tissue that drapes over the abdominal organs) and one-half each of my small and large intestine had to be removed. 

Needless to say it was a difficult recovery, in both the weeks following the surgery in the hospital and the many months at home thereafter.  With just one-half of my digestive system remaining, eating and keeping food in my system was difficult.  Maintaining my nutritional needs required daily intravenous Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) for 7 months post-op.  However, over time, my digestive system began to adapt, and I gradually regained my strength and maintained my weight, eliminating the need for TPN.  

Rick and one of his care team members following surgery.

Now one year and eight months since my surgery, I’m back to doing all the activities I used to do – gym, biking, fishing, yard work and volunteering .  I still have to be careful of what foods I eat and how much but the best part of my story so far is the blood tests and CT scans I undergo every 3 months since leaving Mercy Medical Center have yet to reveal any sign of cancer! 

I know it’s too early to declare victory over my disease yet but being able to enjoy just one more year with my family and friends has been a true blessing.  While I owe this gift to Dr. Sardi and his team, I’ve come to realize how lucky I was to have had doctors at Lehigh Valley Health Network who recognized the type of cancer I had and were aware of the CRS/HIPEC treatment programs in Baltimore and Pittsburgh.  Without that knowledge I would probably not be here right now sharing my story. 

However, not every patient with this disease is as fortunate as I am.  Because appendix cancer is so rare, it’s often misdiagnosed and patients aren’t getting the treatment they need.  That’s why I think the work being done by the Abdominal Cancers Alliance to raise awareness of this disease and getting patients the right treatment is so important to me.