kris00j

Well, everything is set.
March 5 is my embolization. It is with the same radiologist that did my last embolization successfully. I don’t remember if I posted, but I had 3 different radiologists try a different embolization last summer. 1 failed. 1 didn’t even try after he or she got into the vein, and the 3rd went in and did the embolization successfully. THAT is the radiologist that will do this embolization. My surgeon says she’s the best on staff, too.
She will go thru the right side of my liver into the vein and will block off the left branch of the vein so most of the blood goes into the right side of the liver. This will have the left side sort of “die off” and the right will take over the work. (what normally happens AFTER the resection). It’s a little scary because if she nicks the vein I will have compromised blood flow, or no blood flow to the right side and that will be the end of my liver. But that WON’T happen! Dr. Brown is the best radiologist at SK and I believe she can do this. Of course, it doesn’t keep me from worrying…
Then March 26 I have a CT scan to check on growth.
As long as all goes as planned, the resection is April 4th. I believe it is an auspicious day, as it is 1 year to the day of when I met Dr. Fong. So it’s a sign that all will go well. I’ve told my parents to expect a 15 day hospital stay… I think it’s safe to guess that much since I will be losing 75% of my liver. And I found out why he is taking so much out: it all has to do with blood flow and drainage. Those parts of the liver will die off when he removes what he HAS to remove, so he has to take them out, too.
I’m trying to stay positive but as all of you know, this is really scary. Worse to my nerves than being inoperable. Now I have the biggest hope and the biggest fear all at the same time.

Kris

LeeAnn:
Thanks for the post. It’s nice to hear about people that have had successful resections.
And Lainy: Thanks for the offer. My parents will be flying up for the resection but not for the embolization.
I know I shouldn’t worry as much as I am, but it seems nothing about any of the procedures or surgeries they do are “normal”. By normal, I mean they are always having to turn left to go right when it comes to my situation. I just would like for one thing to not have an additional complication!
It is so tempting to put this all off, as I am otherwise healthy. I have very little discomfort, in the scheme of things. Very little pain. And since they stopped chemo in Nov. I haven’t had to go to the hospital at all! (Yep, it’s the little things)
But I know I need the surgery. And if the tumor starts growing again I’ll be in trouble with operability again. It doesn’t make it easier emotionally, tho. I am putting my life into not one but 2 doctor’s hands within weeks, and what I heard yesterday is scary. I would love to tell them to wait. Maybe the nanoparticles I’ve been reading about will help? Maybe the tumor will keep shrinking and disappear? And MAYBE I’m wishing for too much, but the brain won’t stop asking.
I know I have to trust that my doctors know more than I do, and have weighed the options and the dangers. After all, this is what they do. But it doesn’t seem to get thru to my brain.
Kris

I met with the radiologist today and she said this is, while not common, done more often than I know. I said no one had answered this post saying they had it done. But I digress:
The embolization is set for March 5th. Under normal circumstances (those who know me, know I am NOT normal) she would go in thru the left vein and block it off. Well, the left vein has 3 branches, 2 of which look like they’ve already been clipped. The remaining branch is so skinny and snaky that she doesn’t feel she would be able to puncture it and complete the embolization.
Now here’s the scary part.
She plans on going thru the right branch of the vein and following it until she gets into the left branch and can close it off. If she damages the right side in any way I will lose blood flow to the good part of my liver.
I had 3 radiologists try to do an embolization this past summer. 2 failed. Dr. Brown is the one who succeeded. And my surgeon says she is the best. I told her he said that and I trust her, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. One mistake and there’s no reason for a resection…
I just have to think positively and trust that God is watching over me. But it’s hard to do.

Tiff: You’re next to post!!! We are waiting to hear! Fingers, toes, and eveyrthing possible crossed for you!