Klatskin tumor help and anniversary

Quite simply my tumor grew in an unusual manner. Instead of growing from the inner lining of the bile duct outward, it grew from the outside inward. In essence it provided more pressure right at the bifurcation of the ducts and closed off quite rapidly compared to other K tumors. I almost instantly went from normal functions one day to light bulb yellow skin , pale stools, and coca-cola urine in 24 hours. It wasn’t a slow process that you could observe changing every day. It was Boom!! I received a biopsy brushing within two weeks, which is good in Canada ( ha ha ) and got down to business with treatment options within 5 weeks. I got to the Mayo clinic for my evaluation when the tumor was only 1.5 cm square. I believe that was the key factor in my success was the early diagnosis and treatment. I asked a surgeon back at my specialist’s hospital who knew someone in the Liver Transplant clinic at the Mayo who was also a Canadian doctor, and Helen and I headed for Minnesota as soon as possible for the evaluation. I DID NOT wait for my government health plan authorization to send me and fund the evaluation. I paid for it myself. That was another thing that worked in my favor, I went on my own accord. I didn’t wait and waste precious time.

In all fairness to social medicine, when I was admitted to the Mayo protocol my government health system agreed to send me since this procedure and surgery was not available at that time in Canada due to the shortage of donor livers. But, the government plan arranged the funding with the Mayo and handled my plans with the Mayo Clinic. All went well with their efforts.

One of these days, and soon, I intend to compose an article on my CC so all can read, and it won’t be sugar coated. People need to know what we go through with this GI cancer. It ain’t nice.