"You never think it's going to happen to you."
Lula's words, in a recorded message of gratitude for the support he is receiving in his fight against cancer: "I think we're going to get through this easily," he continued; "it wasn't the first and it won't be my last battle"; watch
247 with AE - Former President Lula left the Sírio-Libanês Hospital in São Paulo at 15:34 PM this Monday, the Instituto Cidadania reported. A short while ago, the head of the medical team, Roberto Kalil Filho, had informed that his laryngeal tumor is localized, meaning it has no chance of spreading. According to the doctors, Lula should not return to the hospital until his next chemotherapy session, in 20 days.
The former president underwent a PET scan to analyze the likelihood of metastasis. However, the result showed that the cancer is localized. Lula underwent his first chemotherapy session yesterday in the treatment of laryngeal cancer diagnosed on Saturday.
After the tests, Lula made only one complaint to the doctors: he was hungry. The "problem" was resolved shortly afterward with a lunch served by the hospital. Cardiologist Roberto Kalil Filho, a member of the medical team, stated that the former president did not feel nauseous and did not present any side effects from the chemotherapy treatment. In the morning, according to the medical team, Lula was in good spirits and confident. "What has to be faced, has to be faced," Lula reportedly said.
The former president went to his apartment in São Bernardo do Campo, accompanied by his wife, Marisa Letícia. Lula will stay at home with a portable pump strapped to his waist for medication infusion. The medical team explained yesterday that, for each chemotherapy session, he will have to carry the device, connected to a catheter he has below his right shoulder, for five days.
Last night, President Dilma Rousseff, Finance Minister Guido Mantega, and the Minister of the General Secretariat of the Presidency, Gilberto Carvalho, visited Lula for an hour. According to Dilma, Lula was in "wonderful spirits and with his usual cheerfulness."
Lula also received a visit from his sons Fábio Luís and Luís Cláudio. The cancer treatment will be paid for by the patient himself, through his personal health insurance plan.
HIGH WARNING
01/11/2011- 15h15
Former President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva was discharged from the Sírio-Libanês Hospital in São Paulo today at 14:16 PM.
Yesterday (October 31st), former President Lula underwent the placement of a central venous catheter (Port-a-Cath) in a surgical procedure performed by Dr. Julio Cesar Mariño.
The patient completed the first chemotherapy session without complications and underwent PET/CT and other complementary exams today.
The medical team assisting the former president is coordinated by Professors Roberto Kalil Filho, Paulo Hoff, Artur Katz, Luiz Paulo Kowalski, Claudia Cozer, and Rubens de Brito Neto.
Dr. Antonio Carlos Onofre de Lira
Hospital Technical Director
Dr. Paulo Cesar Ayroza Galvão
Clinical Director