Cezar Oroviceanu (49) left his family in Romania to work as an electrician in Maastricht. He lives in a mechanic’s pension in Tüddern, just across the German border. “On January 28, 2020, I suddenly developed severe abdominal pain at work. I was taken to Maastricht UMC+ by ambulance. There I was surprised to hear that I had a large tumor in my intestines with untreatable metastases in the liver. According to the doctor I only had two weeks to a maximum of two months to live. My world collapsed. I didn’t want to believe that the doctor was right and had me re-examined in my home country. Unfortunately, the diagnosis was exactly the same. My wife made me promise to fight to the end for the sake of our son. And my parents taught me that you should always keep your promises. I started my first round of chemotherapy in Romania, in the hope that it would slow down the growth of the cancer.
On the advice of my friend Peter Lijsen, who was unfortunately also an experience expert in the field of cancer, I returned to MUMC+ for my second round of chemotherapy. In the meantime, Peter arranged that the employment agency did not fire me and that my health insurance continued to run. After the chemo I was doing better and by now I was already 9 months further. The tumors had shrunk but the metastases in my liver were too large to operate in the usual way. I was offered to participate in the MUMC+-led research into the new treatment method by Drs. Korenblik, Dr. Van der Leij and Dr. Van Dam, in an ultimate attempt to grow a sufficiently healthy liver more quickly. I discussed this in consultation with Peter. After all, I wanted to keep the promise to my wife: I would fight! For her and for our son.
It was a tough time. At my first surgery on December 3, the left side of my liver was cleaned of cancer. On December 18, in a second, more limited operation, the supply and drain blood vessels of the still affected part of my liver were closed, so that the clean left side of my liver would grow faster. My recovery after this surgery was very difficult, but my wife, my son and Peter helped me through this together. On February 8, 2021, I had my third and largest surgery: the affected 70% of my liver was removed. When they finally went to remove my colon tumor in April, the colon cancer appeared to have almost completely disappeared thanks to the chemo and I was declared cancer-free.
From that moment on I started a new life step by step. The fight never ends, but this experience has completely changed my life for the better. I am still suffering from the effects of the chemo. Because of the nerve pain in my feet I sometimes walk like a drunk and I always have pain in my hands. But I’m still moving very slowly. Ultimately, I hope to be able to work sufficiently again, so that I can bring my family to the Netherlands and offer them a better life. That was my dream from the beginning.
I am very grateful to my dear friend Peter, because without him and his practical and mental support I would never have made it. The doctors, nurses and chemo makers of the MUMC+ were also really great to me. I can’t thank them enough. Because I realize very well that I didn’t stand a chance in Romania.”
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