We are sooooo blessed!

Anne Marie Flahive

First post: Sep 13, 2018 Latest post: Jun 21, 2021
In 2005, while being admitted for a routine appendectomy, Anne was diagnosed with having Pseudomyxoma Peritoneal (PMP).  PMP is a cancer of the abdomen usually caused by a tear in the appendix resulting in the poison of the appendix forming tumor(s) in the abdomen.

Anne was one of the early cases treated in Wausau – most prior cases were sent to Milwaukee, Madison or Minneapolis.  Cases either mature fast or are slow growing.  Fortunately, Anne’s cancer was slow growing for the first 10 years of her illness.

In 2016, Anne’s cancer took a turn for the worst and began to grow more rapidly. 

In 2017, we attempted to debulk Anne and perform an aggressive hot chemo cleansing.  Unfortunately, her tumor encapsulated vital blood vessels and organs that the medical team could not operate without a significantly high risk of fatality.  So, the consensus was to address her disease with a weekly chemo treatment for the next 9 months.  She completed her chemo in early 2018.

In March 2018, 2 weeks after retirement, Anne had blockage in her intestine’s and her body formed a fistula/ostomy.  Her consumption of food had to be limited.  She began receiving nightly Total Parental Nutrition (TPN) through a Hickman port.  

Although her health was declining, her spirit continues to be positive (like always) …. and she looks amazing.  During the summer months, Anne became more nauseous, her Hickman became infected and her stomach was constantly battling the side effects of her ostomy  

Anne has been blessed with a loving husband/caregiver, three beautiful children, two son-in-laws and one daughter-in-law, seven amazing grandchildren, her sister, her brother, her in-laws, a large family of friends and a community of co-workers from the Eye Clinic of Wisconsin.

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