kate-g
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I too cried alot when I first went onto the internet to find out what my Mums Klatskin Tumour was! You are not alone!
You will get much support and advice from this site, I am so glad I found it, as it really helped while I was going through it all with my Mum.
She had a successful resection in June, and despite a few complications, is now living life as normal again, and has just been given the all clear after a recent scan. I had thought when I found out initially, that it was a hopeless situation.
Hang in there, don’t give up hope, and I wish you, your Father and family, all good things.Hello Sya!
My Mum (68) was diagnosed in April this year. Same thing as your Dad, they could not operate due to the jaundice. Luckily they were able to insert a stent to help relieve the jaundice. She had to wait till early June for the operation. They were able to remove the tumour, and also removed the common bile duct, the gall bladder, and the lower section of her liver. She was in hospital for 6 weeks, due to a few complications, but essentially all went very well, and she is fine now, apart from some discomfort around the site where she had various drains in her side. A week ago she returned to the hospital for a check up, and has been given the all clear…..for now! All this happened in Greece.
I wish you and your Dad all good things. It was a really scary time for me, my Mum has always been so healthy and independant. My wish for you is that in a few months time, you to will be sitting at your PC writing that your Dad has had a sucessful operation!
Hang in there, stay strong. Much love to you.Best of luck to you Rosemary. I’m sorry you are having resistance to what you are doing within your family, but I agree with Jeff G, it is the right thing to do, and I wish you all the best, lots of love, strength and peace to you all.
My Mum takes aspirin. Is there any suitable alternative to aspirin? She’s not having chemo or anything, but obviously I don’t want her to take anything that might jeopardize her health. Or is it just an issue if you are on chemo?
Just to let you all know, I spent a week with Mum and she is doing fine. The fever she had for 5 days, went of it’s own accord, which I was pleased about, as I assume her immune system must be working as it should. She gets discomfort around the area where she had tubes in her side, but I think I have read on here that this is fairly common, and hope it will pass in time. She has a check up in a month or so, so hopefully that will be clear.
Thanks for your replies!Thanks for your words friends. I will drag Mum down to the internet shop and show her what has been written, in the hope that she may log in here from time to time, even WRITE herself!! I just feel so sad for anyone affected by this cancer, but obviously it is personal being my Mum. She leads such a quiet and basic life, in another country. She speaks Greek well, but of course, when it comes down to technical medical stuff, she is a bit scuppered. This site could be so helpful to her I think, but she is not computer savvy, and finds it all rather hard work! But I will try to encourage her to check this place out!
Thanks friends! All info helps, just hearing from people helps!
It’s hard………Mum really needs to put on weight, and she is a great lover of all things dairy. I have been looking at calorie counters, and think that maybe she should be upping her nut intake! They are full of calories, but non dairy. She is so cheesed (!!) off, as the little amount of weight she had gained has all been lost with the fever.
I will pass on what you have said. Living in a caravan (VERY basic) on a Greek Island is great, when all is well. But there is so much more available over here in terms of alternative health boosting stuff.
I want to find out what might help. I’m thinking of stuff like milk thistle, and essiac tea etc that will help to support her liver etc. Trying to tell her to cut back on dairy is a daunting prospect, but I will pass it on all the same. I wish I could get her on here!
I haven’t time to buy stuff to take out Sunday, but can send it in the post to her.
Please tell me of any stuff you all think could help!!
Love and best wishes to you all. You are all coping with your own stuff. I feel so ignorant sometimes, I have so little idea about all the technical jargon etc etc, and have so little to give you all, other than kind words. But it is nice to have this site, as I feel supported when I am floundering around!Sorry to hear your Mum CJ. I have nothing to give you info wise, but am sending my best wishes and love to you and your Mum.
Thanks for the update Peter. You sound quite philosophical about it all. I wish you calmness and peace of mind. Continuing to nurture yourself sounds like the best and wisest, and perhaps only option at this point! Best of luck to you!
Peter. So sorry the cancer has returned. Your story is so similar to my Mums somehow. It is good to know you had 3 years free of it all. I hope the same will go for my Mother who has also not had any chemo/radiation.
Please keep us all posted on what is going on for you.
Best wishes to you, I hope you are doing OK.Hello everyone.
I have not visited this site for about 6 weeks.
My Mum was diagnosed with CC in April this year. She lives in Greece, and was treated at Patras University Hospital in Rion. She was in hospital for 6 weeks in all. The first couple of weeks after the resection were the most difficult for her in terms of difficulties. But after that her recovery was amazing. I was due to return to UK at the end of June, but managed to stay on in Greece to be with her.
She was released from hospital 15th July. She was really getting fed up of being in hospital. But there was an internal bile leak, which is why she was in so long. But we talked the doctors into a temporary compromise. So she left hospital with 2 coloplast bags attached to her side, where the drains came out. We enjoyed a lovely 8 days together back in Kefallonia. I returned home to UK 25th July. Within a few days of my return, she had to return to hospital, because one of the bags had come loose!
Well, a few weeks on………she had 2 subsequent trips back to hospital, for the same problem! A pain to be honest, the hospital is 4 1/2 hours away on the mainland!
However, on this last visit, they ran some more scans and tests, and a few days ago, she returned home to her caravan on Kefallonia, completely free of bags and tubes, and is back to leading a “normal” life again.
Apart from the couple of weeks post op, she has suffered very little. The last 3 weeks or so in hospital were frustrating, as she felt fine. On our return home, she was doing really well, eating sleeping, and getting stronger everyday. And this continued after I left.
She has not been prescribed chemo. The Doctors seemed very happy with the margins they’d achieved in surgery. The tumour was around the common bile duct, but had not spread anywhere else. They removed the bile duct, gall bladder and a lower prtion of her liver. The left and right biliary ducts were then attached to the small bowel.
Being in a foreign country, dealing with Doctors who did not always speak English etc etc, was not the easiset experience. Information was limited. But, 2 months post op, and she is doing fine. Her only concern is her weight. She is around 5’4″, and only weighs 49kg now. Her Doctor says it will take a while to put the weight back on, as she has had such major surgery, and it takes at least 6 months for the body to recover, even if the effects can’t be seen or felt. So I am hoping that she will indeed start to put on weight over the coming months.
She has to return to hospital in 2 months for a check up.
Of course, I want my Mum, to be the one who the cancer does not revisit! Part of me believes in fairy tales!
So, that is the update for you all. Early days I know, but that’s whats happening with my Mum!
