A tattoo and a team for a TJ’s rectal cancer battle
“It was a thunderbolt,” TJ said.
He shared the news with his family and entered treatment with a positive attitude — even planning a special tattoo after it was over.
TJ could have gone anywhere in the country for treatment, but he says he was lucky to have Allina Health Cancer Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis just minutes from his house.
“Blood in the stool is one of the most common symptoms in colorectal cancer,” said Joleen Hubbard, MD, TJ’s medical oncologist, underscoring why early attention mattered. “TJ was going to need chemo-radiation therapy, followed by chemotherapy and then, potentially, surgery.”
At Allina Health, TJ came to know a full team that supported his treatment plan. Doctors, advanced practice providers, nurses and others worked together to make treatment as effective as possible.
“I asked a million questions, and they were delighted to answer,” TJ said.
“TJ was a rock star during treatment,” said Amber Retzlaff, MD, TJ’s radiation oncologist. “He was very interested in the technical aspects of the radiation planning, and we went through every single slice of his treatment plan.”
The Allina Health team guided TJ through radiation and chemotherapy, followed by a brief setback to treat a blood clot. Then, as he worked with his surgeon to prepare for surgery, TJ received surprising news.
“He said, ‘You’ve had a complete clinical response,’” TJ said. “My tumor was gone.”
The treatment plan worked. With no evidence of cancer on physical exam or imaging, TJ became a candidate for regular surveillance and what doctors call a watch-and-wait approach.
“It means he can hopefully forever avoid surgery,” Dr. Retzlaff added.
“We were just wowed by that and so grateful that this happened to TJ,” Dr. Hubbard added.
Today, TJ is back to his life — and with a new “magic cancer tattoo.”
“I've got a big ol’ tattoo of Shoki the Demon Queller on my back,” TJ said, smiling. “In his hand, he's got the demon we caught, and he's looking for the next one so we can get that one, too.”
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