scragots

Kristen,

I am one of those lucky ones that was able to have a resection with clear margins. My tumor was 5.7 cm X 5.5 cm. I had an extended right lobectomy and they took out my gallbladder at the same time. It is almost two years later, and so far…cancer free! Other than digestive issues and some adhesion pain in my abdomen, I feel pretty good. I do have the knees of a 70 year old, but that has nothing to do with my liver!

I discussed chemo with my doctor before and after surgery. Before surgery, I was thrilled to hear “no chemo”. After surgery, we talked about it again, and her theory was that there was nothing left to treat, and it hasn’t been shown to have much affect on CC. So, I did not have chemo.

Now, that said, some days I wish I had insisted. I know that if it comes back, and I hope that I am in that 40% that live longer than 5 years, I will wonder if it would have made a difference. I tend to agree with some of the posters…if he feels like he should do chemo, then he might give it a try. I have no experience with it, but many others on here do and can give you more details of what to expect.

Given a chance to do it again…Yes, I think I would have insisted. But that’s just me, and so far it has worked.

Sue

Aw yes, the path of true cancer buddies! Sometimes you just HAVE to chuckle!

Yes, I have had the “pain in the neck” symptom, and I’m not talking about my husband right now!!! We were out goofing around on a Saturday afternoon, visiting my favorite bookstore. I had had gas for days, and by the time we came out of the store, my neck hurt so bad, I was afraid to move. For the first time ever, I actually asked him to PLEASE take me home so I could lay down. I thought maybe laying down would allow more, shall we call it “straight passage”, than sitting upright. And it did help. I have had that pain once or twice since then, but never quite that bad.

In my unprofessional opinion, I think gas can build up in your system so much, that it fills up the “natural” empty places and sneaks in anywhere else it can. It goes away, sometimes faster than other times.

Lainy, definitely…fake sugar of any kind is bad for gas. (Or good for gas, depends on how you look at it).

I ate some ice cream last night (normal, full sugar outstanding cherry chocolate chip…mmmmm) and I noticed that for a few hours after that, I was a burping machine. Not good, when you are trying to go to sleep. Maybe some lactose intolerance? I don’t drink much milk, but I do eat cheese and have only noticed this lately.

Hope you are all doing good today! I am out from under a tense deadline at work, and it’s supposed to be sunny, if only 50 degrees. And it’s Thursday. I feel very good today!

Sue

I have found the “connection” between Vietnam and CC to be very interesting. But, here is another facet to this discussion…

I was diagnosed with intra-hepatic CC in 12/06 and had a resection in January of 2007. So far, everything looks good. I am now 51 (but only by a few days!), was 49 when diagnosed.

I was never in the military, was never in Vietnam, BUT…my father was career Army, and I DID spend a year on Okinawa when I was 13. (And he DID spend time in Vietnam, and Korea, which has no bearing, except that I am very proud of who he was and what he did for this country.)

I will never know if this was the “reason” for contracting this disease, but it is an interesting side-note to the Vietnam discussion.

I certainly hope that they DO prove a connection and make it possible for those who served in the Armed Forces to receive some kind of compensation for this cancer. They were fighting for our freedom and deserve everything we can do for them.

Thanks to all who serve! (This includes my father, my uncle, my husband, my daughter and my son)

Sue

Lainy,

OK, I have stupid questions:

I am stumped. I really want to write a letter, but I have no idea how to start, what to say. I mean, I know what I have gone through, but how detailed do I get?

So far, I am doing fine, beating the odds (next CT scan is Tuesday, the nerves are ramping up…). Do you still want my letter?

Or do you think the effort to get recognized would work better if you only have letters from people who need more research TODAY?

Actually, I suppose that if the I am realistic. I WILL need that research, and I would want it to be done TODAY so I could use it in the future.

But, I am still at a loss where to start. Would it be possible (without prying into people’s privacy) to publish on this site, small quotes from some of the letters you have received? I am not asking out of curiosity and nosiness, but out of a true desire to help, and not being able to figure out how.

Sorry to be such a dunce. Thanks for any help. I am trying to get this done!
Sue

Dear Kris,

I am stunned that doctors can be so heartless. I suppose a medical degree does not make a person empathetic OR sympathetic. But it seems like it should be a requirement, a class you have to pass, or they won

Kris,

I might have missed a post somewhere, but I was thinking about you and wondering about the results of your scan. Did they figure out where they pains were coming from? Thinking good thoughts.

Sue