Hi y’all….from the South.

Hello, Debbie 1 and what a wonderful post this is as we love the word stable. Thank you so very much for the update and we hope Mom’s progress continues! Please pop in now and then and let us know how the Southern Belle is doing!

Hi Debbie,

I am very sorry to hear about your mother. Please understand that I am only speaking from my own experience here, and don’t want to give false hope, but I wonder about a second surgical opinion. Lymph node involvement does reduce the longer term “cure rate” of a resection, so some just won’t do it. However, it does not make a resection technically impossible, so unless there were other reasons a resection is not possible — like vein or artery involvement, etc. — you might get a second opinion.

I had a similar experience. One medical center would not even consider surgery because I had multiple regional lymphatic tumors. A more aggressive surgeon at another medical center believed that surgery would still provide longer and better quality of life than other treatment options, and agreed to do the resection (and lymphadenectomy). Happily, he was able to provide us with a good outcome.

I do hope your mother finds new strength and determination. I know how hard it is. My best wishes to you both as you go through this confusing and complicated time.

Mark

Hi Debbie,
I’m so sorry that your Mom was unable to have the resection. She may change her mind in the future regarding chemo. It can actually improve a person’s quality of life. It sure helped my husband (for a few months anyway). Now he’s going to try a new regimen to hopefully get it beaten back some so he can feel better again. He is not a surgical candidate. This disease makes him feel so lousy. Anyway, we also live in Columbia. He’s getting treatment at SCOA (off Greystone Blvd.) and we’ve had nothing but excellent care there. You might want to go check it out, it’s a beautiful facility and the people there are wonderful. Waiting is almost non-existent, they’re so efficient. Anyway, I wish you both the best and would love to meet you and your Mom if you are interested.
Dianne

Hi,
If you mom choose “quality of life” at this point in time after the doctors assessments, it may not be an unacceptable idea; just make sure your mom understand what quality vs quantity means in making the decision.
I am not a doctor and I do not have all the info about your mom’s prognosis by your doctors. But your mother’s wish should be the final choice.
God bless.

Hi Debbie….ERCP aids in the diagnoses of conditions of the pancreas or bile ducts; it clarifies abnormal blood test results or, as it is in your Mom’s case images from the CT scan. Most likely there will also be a brushing of the bile ducts. This is pretty much routine. Good luck and
all my best wishes,
Hugs,
Marion

Hi,
First of all, I am not a doctor, I’m just a patient like your mother. I am 63, but I have 2 resections in 2 years.
If your mother is healthy and no other comorbidity, age is not an risk factor for surgery. But I think you should get a 2nd opinion from radiation oncology to see whether IMRT or microwave ablation can be of value first. The reasoning is that if radiation intervention can be done, your mother can avoid surgery , and there will be less adverse reaction overall for your mother to endure.
The key word is location of the tumor in your mother’situation. The word you use is “AT” the portal vein. As compare to near or close by. Is this the exact word they use in the cat scan report? If not, then there can be more option in radiation treatment.
5 mm( 0.5cm) is small in size. A 2nd opinion from hepatologist like Mayo or John Hopkins may be a good start to see what should be done; some times “wait and see” in 3 month and re scan may not be a bad idea.
God bless.