Cryosurgery

Tuesday February 23, 1993

I try to sleep after Frank gets up at 7:30 for his class. I rest only until 9:30. I get up at 10. Eat breakfast. I feel OK. It takes me all morning to get ready. I'm finally dressed and downstairs about 2 p.m. I sit around all day. At 6:30 we eat dinner. I eat real well. I have an artichoke and a game hen.

I have diarrhea all day about every 20 minutes. Not a real good day.

Joan called today. She remembered the doctor at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica I told her about a few months ago. He uses cryo freezing on colon liver cancer. She called and has an appointment next Tuesday. He sounded hopeful. She sounds excited. Please God!

According to the website for the National Cancer Institute, "Cryosurgery is a technique for freezing and killing abnormal cells. Cryosurgery may have fewer side effects than other types of treatments, and is less expensive and requires shorter recovery. Cryosurgery (also called cryotherapy) is the use of extreme cold produced by liquid nitrogen (or argon gas) to destroy abnormal tissue. Cryosurgery is used to treat external tumors, such as those on the skin. For external tumors, liquid nitrogen is applied directly to the cancer cells with a cotton swab or spraying device.

Cryosurgery is also used to treat tumors inside the body (internal tumors and tumors in the bone). For internal tumors, liquid nitrogen or argon gas is circulated through a hollow instrument called a cryoprobe, which is placed in contact with the tumor. The doctor uses ultrasound or MRI to guide the cryoprobe and monitor the freezing of the cells, thus limiting damage to nearby healthy tissue.