thecdr
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Kara, are sirspheres or theraspheres an option for your mom? they are specifically aimed at the tumors in the liver. Originally this was for mets from colorectal cancer, but they have been having luck with CC
Thank you Jenny.
I had a cholecystectomy for gall stones, simple, routine, nothing out of the ordinary. It seems to me that CC is always found by accident since there really is no test or screening.Don’t live with regret, I always tell my 11 year old son (I’m a single mom) that he will always be in my heart and I will always be in his. I am sure that is the same way with your husband. He knows what you wanted to say because you’re saying them now.
By the way, Australia is one of my most favorite places on earth, I’ve been twice and just loved it!
Barb (aka, the commander)
Dear Rebecca,
I am so sorry to hear about your husband and wish I had some definitive encouraging news to share, but the truth is that this cancer is so rare that each case is different. I started out with Gemzar and at first it looked like my cancer had slowed down, but then the next scan it sped up and spread to even more places, it’s just so unpredictable. There are a few on this board who have better experiences, others who have worse, each is individual. Do your research, have you spoken to an interventional radiologist at all? Your husband could be a candidate for sirspheres or theraspheres which might shrink or at least slow the growth of the tumors in his liver if that is where they are. I am making that assumption based on your saying he was stage 4 as the liver is the most common place to spread. I had sirspheres about 6 weeks ago, the jury is still out as to whether they worked. When it appeared the Gemzar wasn’t doing what they wanted I was placed on Oxaliplatin and Xeloda (an oral form of 5 FU), because of side effects they took me off the Xeloda and put me on the IV form of 5 FU.
My advice to you is to do as much research as you can, ask questions and more questions. Get a second opinion, it is always wise in this kind of situation. Most of all, value each day as the most important day of your lives.
Barb (aka, the commander)
Please Jenny don’t beat yourself up, this evil cancer is a sneaky thing with no tests or signs. It is so rare that they haven’t invented a test for it, much less a cure. I am 52 with the disease and while I don’t like it, I have come to accept the fact that I have it and there was nothing i could do prevent it. I had just had gall bladder surgery 9 months before and there was nothing.
God bless you and I will keep you in my prayers.
thanks to all. I am scheduled for an EGD next week, so i hope to find an answer. i am leaning toward high end obstruction or bad reflux. I don’t really care what it is, i just want it to stop!
well, news not bad, not great but ok. no shrinkage of tumors in the liver which is telling me that the sirspheres didn’t quite do the job. There was some shrinkage of the tumors in the lymph nodes which means the chemo is doing it’s job. My blood count (hgb) is down to 9 and my white ccells are down to 3. He thinks I may be obstructed so I will be having an EGD soon to see what happens
Thanks Kris, sometimes being a nurse is a curse because there is all the stuff I know that could be wrong. No clue from the doctor, he thought it might be the Xeloda so he took me off, but 2 weeks out it is still going on. As far as my weight, even my sister in law got into the act telling me “aren’t you glad you had weight to lose?” uh, yeah, sure. When I told a friend of mine she sent back a fake ad: Lose weight with no dieting, no exercise, eat whatever you want, just get cancer!
Luis is doing fine, considering all that is going on with him. He’s been dealt a cruel blow to be sure, abandoned by his birth mother, living in an orphanage, he is bipolar, now his mom has a very bad disease and could die. Fortunately he has used school as a diversion and is making the best grades he’s ever done, we have a wonderful group of friends who have taken him under their wing and have really helped me out by practically adopting him themselves. On the down side, it is tough being a single mom and trying to maintain discipline. I am probably spoiling him rotten but I don’t have the physical or mental stamina to do the everyday battles that parents face, so I do the best I can. That being said, he is a sweet kid who is well behaved outside the home. I really think that some of his behavior issues at home are his way of telling me that he still needs me and I can’t leave.
bclegg, while the number you have for the CA 19 is very high it is in no way indicative of how much cancer you have. It is most useful when you are on chemo and the docs can see how well the chemo is working depending on it going up or down. There are many things besides cancer that a CA19 will show elevated, including sclerosing cholangitis
Barb
Absolutely, that photo should be on the front of the site! welcome back Jeff, hope the healing powers of dolphins worked on you!
