In a remarkable turnaround, Julie Camarillo, a 50-year-old woman from St. Clair Shores, Michigan, found life-threatening hope during a recent appointment with Dr. Malcolm Bilimoria, a surgical oncologist based in suburban Chicago.
Until recently, Julie endured a debilitating condition that felt ‘worse than being pregnant,’ living with a massive 15-pound tumor in her abdomen that left her feeling heavy and unwell.
The tumor, measuring 60 centimeters, was a rare liposarcoma, a form of soft tissue cancer, which had progressively worsened her health to the point of causing weight loss and persistent vomiting.
After being told by her local physician that surgical intervention was too risky due to the tumor’s precarious positioning around critical blood vessels, Julie and her husband Frank embarked on a 300-mile journey to seek a second opinion from Dr. Bilimoria.
Dr. Bilimoria revealed that the tumor was pressing dangerously on vital blood vessels, including the aorta and inferior vena cava, which are crucial for survival.
With the stakes high, Bilimoria presented Julie with clear options: either proceed with a risky surgery or consider hospice care.
Julie and Frank refused to accept the dire prognosis. ‘At this point, it was either surgery or hospice care. And certainly at 50, we didn’t want to try that,’ Bilimoria explained.
With a connection organized by a friend of Julie’s husband living in Chicago, they learned of Dr. Bilimoria’s expertise in difficult surgical cases like Julie’s.
‘One of her good friends from high school, her dad was a surgeon, and asked if she could share Julie’s medical condition with them, and of course, I said absolutely,’ Frank recounted. ‘She got back to me the next day and said this is actually his specialty.’
Dr. Bilimoria embraced the challenge. ‘She still wanted to try and I wanted to try for her. One of the things I like about being a surgical oncologist is I get a chance to meet people who are fighters,’ he said.
Undertaking the surgery, which lasted four and a half hours, Dr. Bilimoria and his physician assistant, Katie Weiner, carefully worked to detach the tumor from Julie’s abdominal cavity, ensuring that none of the critical blood vessels were harmed in the process.
They successfully removed the tumor, and crucially, during the procedure, they discovered that the surrounding tissue exhibited clear margins, indicating that the cancer had not spread, a promising sign for Julie’s future health.
Reflecting on the surgery, Dr. Bilimoria expressed his cautious optimism: ‘Nobody can predict the future, but this is the first time she’s had a completely margin-negative resection.’
Julie’s battle with cancer dates back to 2015, with recurrences prompting surgical interventions in both 2015 and 2017. Unlike previous surgeries where the tumor returned, this operation offered a new ray of hope for her family.
Now, back in Michigan with her husband Frank and 19-year-old son, Julie is embracing her health and advocating for others in similar situations.
‘Get a second opinion, definitely. I don’t know what I would have done if I didn’t reach out to him,’ Julie shared, visibly relieved. ‘He said that I probably would have been dead by Christmas. You never know who’s got connections who you could be talking to that knows somebody like this that could help you.’
Through this life-altering experience, Julie has emerged with renewed resolve and a powerful message: the importance of seeking second opinions in healthcare.
In a broader context, Dr. Bilimoria shared that he has encountered similarly challenging cases before, mentioning a recent surgery during a medical mission trip in Bolivia, where he successfully removed a 22-pound tumor.
As Julie continues her recovery, she stands as a living testament to the impact of good medical advice and determination, urging others to pursue every avenue when facing health crises.
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