lud

hello All,

I’m just back from the hospital : i underwent the first phase of the radioembolization protocol at the Saint-Antoine hospital in Paris (it turns out that in France it is the hospital with the most experience with this technique, though limited).
This phase consisted in an arteriography to check that my hepatic arteries network does not present any anatomical contraindications for the radioembolization.
It was not painful, though the anesthesia was only local. But, it is not pleasant fo feel the catheter moving in your body, up to you liver. And you have to lay in bed for 24h afterwards to prevent the risk of hemorragia.
As i had a panceaticoduodenectomy in 2010, which cut some arteries between the liver and the stomach/intestines, they did not have to do any chemoembolization of arteries.
They injected also some macroaggregated albumin, marked with Technetium 99m, as a way to simulate the future radioembolization with the microspheres of Yttrium90. The particles of radioactive albumin are then detected with a scintigraphy, to verify that there is not too much leakage from the liver to the lungs.
In my case, the result is very good (only 4%), so, I have the Go now for the radioembolization on the 13th of march.
Before the exam, i was not so enthusiastic for this treatment, because I’m getting really fed up of going to the hospital, and i was not convinced of the interest of it.

As i’m still feeling not so bad, not too tired, I sometimes just want to stop all these tratments, and enjoy life while my legs can still carry me where i want.
But, the last scanner and MRI showed that the tumors are growing, so, I think now that this Y90 radioembolization is a good chance to put a stop, even if only temporary, to this evolution. And if i’m lucky, i won’t have any adverse side effects, and so, will be able to enjoy an extended time.