Surgery 5/21 with good news!

I posted to the forum back in May when I was initially diagnosed and I apologize for the delay in not getting back to everyone about the surgery. I know you will understand…it has been a long process for me to be able to read about this disease and all of the stories of people who are so affected by it. I, for a long time, could not read anything about it and I am a person who thoroughly researches everything! But, I just couldn’t. This has now become a place in which I find great comfort but it can also be very frightening. As someone recently wrote about this being a place they both cling to but also want to avoid. I’m paraphrasing but I so related to that!

I wanted you all to know that the surgery did turn out very well. I have only slowly learned how very fortunate I am…but I also know this is an unpredictable disease in many respects. It was initially diagnosed when I went in for evaluation of the one and only time I have experienced any gallbladder problems. The tumor in my liver was seen during a routine ultrasound to workup the gallbladder problem. I then had a CT scan and then a CT guided biopsy. That was when the cc was diagnosed. I then had a PET/CT scan that showed the only area of disease was the one lesion in the liver. Two weeks later, on May 21st I had a liver resection. They biopsied a number of lymph nodes, another area in the liver and some other areas of concern in my abdomen. They were all negative!! The tumor was 3X3X2 cm and 3 cm negative margins were obtained. I recovered pretty quickly after 8 days in the hospital. I took the dogs for a mile walk after I’d been out of the hospital 10 days! I did leave the hospital with a low blood count (Hct 22) and that did cause quite a bit of dizziness, but I was pretty determined!! The pathology showed a minute focus of vascular invasion and extensive perineural invasion. The oncologist estimated that the cure rate would be about 70% and did not recommend any chemo or radiation and the surgeon agreed with that as well. And I am comfortable with that given the risk versus benefit. So, I feel there is a great deal of hope and I am living my life with that hope…it is the only way I know how to do this. I am living my life in the belief that I am cured and, if that is not the case, I will do everything I need to or can do. I do find that I certainly see life differently and find a great deal of peace and comfort in living in the moment and the seemingly small things that make life so meaningful. Just feeling and seeing and being with my family and friends. Being totally in the moment and experiencing all there is in this world. I hope that makes some sense…it is hard to express.

I want to say how I am so amazed by the strength and optimism that I find here. And by the support everyone finds when they come here in trying to find their way through this journey…each journey being different but sharing much in common.

With wishes for strength and peace and for hope and healing to you all.

Jean