My medical update
Looks like surgery will be an option for me.
It’s been a busy week with planning the book signing party, media appearances and speaking engagements. Yesterday we visited with a liver surgeon in Louisville upon the advice of Nancy Hamm, a miracle survivor who is in From Incurable to Incredible. Rather than having to repeat all of it, here is what my husband Mike wrote about it in our family blog:
Well, nothing is clear on this cancer journey. We went to Louisville expecting to do a consultation in prep for a new radiation outpatient treatment for the tumor on Tami’s liver, but the surgeon had a different plan.
He suggested cutting out the tumor along with several lymph nodes leading to it that have cancerous activity in them. If he just did the radiation thing, the liver could just get more tumors due to the node involvement.
He said the more traditional surgery — involving a four-inch incision, four days in the hospital and four/six weeks or recuperation — would pretty much guarantee no more cancer in the liver area.
We’re planning to get a second opinion from a liver surgeon in Cincinnati soon.
We had thought all along that liver surgery would be a good idea — but oncologists here and in Indianapolis didn’t think it was worthwhile.
Oh, well… the good news appears to be that the cancer is staying confined to the same areas. We’ll get the April/July scan comparison results on Friday morning, but things look good at this point.
Overall, we’re really glad we made this trip. I read an interesting article in Cure magazine about people like Tami who “hitchhike” from treatment to surgery to remission to better treatment — and live great lives with cancer, while hoping and praying for a cure and benefitting from other breakthroughs along the way.
One more note: I talked with another miracle survivor Suzanne Lindley who hosts a wonderful site called BeatLiverTumors.org. She was also the subject of the CURE magazine article Mike mentions. She told me that having surgery was the “gold standard.” The best thing the doctor told me is that when we remove the tumor, I wouldn’t have any problems with liver again!
Sherri says:
Sounds like encouraging news, Tami. I like your husband’s take on living “great lives with cancer” and his view that cancer is a journey is just dead-on, isn’t it? As I’ve said to you before (and as someone who has been close to cancer), you have the diagnosis, but… you do just have to manage it – like any other chronic health condition. Good days – bad days – breakthroughs and, above all, a normal, happy life. Good for you for seeking this treatment out…. Surgery is no picnic, but it could greatly benefit you in the longrun. Anyway, I still owe you a phone call – though you seem awfully busy these days
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sam elliston says:
I applaud the way you keep finding out what will work and talking to as many people as possible.
I sure like the sound of “the Gold Standard” although I know surgery isn’t anything simple.
Lesha LaRae Gillard says:
Hello Tami, I’m so inspired this web sight makes my grey clouds blue skies but my name is Lesha and I have HCC primary liver cancer I live in Zanesville,Oh 55 east of Columbus,Oh. I travel to MD Anderson every 2 wks for treatment which is I take avastin(IV)/Tarceva 100mg I started @ OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY I have my moments when I’m really down then I read your web sight and I’m good I just recently got on Suzanne web sight but I read Nancy Hamms story all the time if you would please send me all the information of the Drs. That you and Nancy seen for SIRTS I’m 48yrs I’m a caregiver my mother since 1991I need all the help I can get I would just like other opinions Thank You very much I’m going to order your book
tamilb says:
Thanks Lesha! The doctor I go to is Dr. Ross Ristagno at UC Physicians in Cincinnati. Nancy consulted with Dr. Robert Martin at University of Louisville.