Margot: Tomas' surgery a success

CEBU, Philippines - Surgeons successfully removed the urinary bladder of Mayor Tomas Osmeña in an operation that ran for almost four hours at the M.D. Andersons Cancer Center in Houston, Texas on Monday evening.

Osmeña’s wife Margot said there were no complications encountered by the surgeons from the start of the surgery at 8:07 a.m. of April 6 (10 p.m. in the Philippines) and until it was completed at noontime in Texas, or about 2 a.m. yesterday in the country.

Margot said “the surgeon removed the urinary bladder, lymph nodes in the pelvic area outside the bladder, and the prostate. He also took out some tissue that was almost reaching the kidney.”

But quoting the doctors, Margot said “the procedure went well and the surgeons were able to take out what had to be removed.”

After two hours at the recovery room, Osmeña was wheeled to his own room where he will remain for the next seven to 10 days.

“Again, with God’s continuing grace and all your prayers, he will be well soon! Thank You,” Margot said in a text message hours after the operation.

After the surgeons finally removed the mayor’s urinary bladder, the doctors temporarily placed a plastic bag outside his body to act as temporary urinary bladder.

The mayor is still to be consulted on the options that the surgeons may embed an artificial bladder to his body as replacement or just to carry with him a container that will hold his urine.

A few hours before operation started, Osmeña sent a text message that said “I dedicate all the pain I will endure to my family and Cebu.”

Osmeña earlier said that he wants to return immediately to Cebu City after the operation to continue his work, particularly to sell the lots at the South Road Properties (SRP).

Here in the Philippines, more than a hundred Cebu City Hall employees attended an early morning mass offered for the health of the Mayor.

According to the staff of the City Mayor, who initiated the Mass, special prayers were heard in the Prayers of the Faithful, for the recovery of Osmeña’s health, continued strength among his family members as well as the officials that are left to oversee the City in his absence.

City Planning and Development Officer Nigel Paul Villarete said Fr. Dindo Pepito’s homily was so touching as it can be applied in the present times.

“The homily talks about deceit by the closest people, so it tells us and also the Mayor perhaps not to trust anyone too much except Him,” Villarete said.

The gospel recalls Christ’s being betrayed by Judas by bringing him to his enemies and by Peter, who denounced him three times. – With Ferliza C. Contratista/NLQ   (THE FREEMAN)