I inherited my mother’s sense of humor. I inherited her love for healthcare, as we are both nurses. I inherited her love for running. She is an impressive 20-time marathon runner. I have just five under my…

A CDH1 mutation. That’s what makes me special. Unlike most other 33-year-olds, I have been diagnosed with two different types of cancer in less than two years. These cancers don’t recognize economic status, lifestyle, or other health…

Gastrectomy is a surgical procedure performed to remove some or all of the patient’s stomach. Three main kinds of gastrectomy exist. First, partial gastrectomy. If the surgeons remove only part of the stomach, it is called a…

Prophylactic total gastrectomy. After deciding whether to have one, you will need to decide when to have it. For many medical conditions, a sense of urgency for surgery exists because of existing symptoms. In those instances, the…

Total gastrectomy surgery can sound like a crazy recommendation. When I first heard that I might need to have my stomach removed, my first thought was “no way.” That’s crazy. Now that I have had one, I…

Total stomach removal will no doubt result in some lifestyle adjustments during the first 12 months after surgery. However, after 12 months, you will most likely be living a fairly normal life. In 2015, a team of…

Total gastrectomy is a modern development in medicine. From 2005 to 2018, several centers have studies outcomes of this procedure. Below, details of the studies are listed for comparison. At the end, I’ve included a table with…

Gastrectomy surgery requires a delicate diet in the days following the surgery. Without a stomach, it is more difficult to digest certain foods. Plus, you will need to eat smaller meals. Therefore, to get enough calories, you…

Can you live without a stomach? Great question. People have been asking it since at least the early 1600s. Despite that being over 400 years ago, I believe it’s safe to say that total gastrectomy is a…

CDH1 mutation carriers need a large support team. Finding out that you have a CDH1 mutation is scary and complicaled news. For CDH1 carriers who find out because they have stomach cancer or breast cancer, the news…