Liver Abscess, infection, and bile duct cancer

Dear All,

My name is Danielle and my mother is battling cholangiocarcinoma. She first was diagnosed 4 years ago (May 2011). She underwent a successful resection and followed up with radiation as a precaution. She was cancer free for 1.5 years before they noticed a hot spot on in the area where she had the cancer before. She followed that up with Chemo therapy and that seemed to put her in remission. (or so we thought). This past summer she was admitted in to the hospital with chills, fever, uncontrollable shakes, and extremely low blood pressure. They found that she was septic and that there was a small liver abscess that was causing the infection. Still though…no sign of cancer on her scans. Just this abscess. They were able to get infections under control and drain most of the abscess. She was sent home on very high level anti-biotics. She did feel much better for a while but around september she started having discomfort in side and problems with bowel movements. She took another scan….no cancer but her cancer markers were elevated slightly in blood. Around December, her eating and bowel movements because an issue and they took her off antibiotic thinking it might be because she was on the high dose antibiotic for so long. Well, that did not help and she just got worse and wores (Feeling bloated, diahrea, not really able to eat much). About a month ago, she was due for another scan and that is when they saw the presence of a tumor (which they had not seen prior). I have read and she was told that unfortunatley this cancer is sneaky and likes to hide in the veins (etc) before showing itself. Well, she started chemo which was a chemo pump and the day she went to get the pump removed she was barely able to speak or walk. She was admitted right way and they found that she was septic again with a number or different infections and that she had a liver abscess again.
Where we are at now: My mother is in the hospital still with a biliary cathater to help the flow of bile and a drain in the abcess. It has been a horrible few weeks. Every day has been a different story. It seems like every time they would get rid of one infection another one would pop up. They have had to give her platelets after platelets to get her count up.

My question is: Does anyone have information about Liver abscess and cholangiocarcinoma. It seems that the malfunction in the billiary system is causing the abscess which is causing the infections. However, the cancer is causing the malfunction. She won’t be able to do chemo until all these infections are cleared. Even after that, we are hoping her body will be strong enough to do the chemo and that it won’t lead to another liver abscess and infection.

She is at Mt. Sanai in NYC and has a great group of doctors working on her but it really seems like they are trying things and hoping they will work.
Has anyone on here dealt with a similar situation and was able to get better?

Thank you for your help. This foundation has been a real source of comfort and knowledge these last four years.

Sincerely
Danielle