Tough Times Getting Worse (But Better in the Long Run)

A few weeks ago, I updated you on some unfortunate health news of mine. At that time I was diagnosed with Sclerosing Cholangitis, a chronic liver disease that results in obstructed bile ducts. Since then, some complications have arisen.

Last Sunday, I woke from a nap with insane chills and nausea. Kristina drove me to the hospital and I was assessed with a low blood pressure and a high fever (39.7°C). An infection had developed at the site of the stent inserted earlier, so a regiment of antibiotics and a host of other medications were prescribed for the week.

The following Friday, I was informed by my specialist that I would likely be released later that day or the next. However, an hour later another doctor arrived and introduced himself to me as a surgeon and said he was asked to look at me and my abdomen. Fair enough. But a short time after that a host of surgeons came in to tell me that scans, ultrasounds, and scopes has all tipped them off to a tumor nestled tightly beside my common bile duct. The head of liver, biliary and pancreatic surgery would be coming to see me that evening to inform of their "game plan".

That evening I was told of this weeks' "game plan".

Currently, no one can tell me whether the tumor is malignant or not. Presently, it is officially considered as "suspicious". Consequently, they are taking no chances. If it is indeed cancer (in this case, Cholangiocarcinoma), there is no treatment available other than surgical removal. As such, this week I will go under the knife and have half my pancreas, my bile duct, gall bladder, duodenum, and the tumor removed.

There is no chemotherapy.

Following surgery, I will recover 7-10 days in hospital, followed by further recuperation at home. Assuming a best case scenario, the long-term prognosis is excellent. And considering the facts that (1) they discovered the tumor early on; (2) the doctor is widely known as one of (if not the) best surgeons around; (3) I'm -- in the doctors words -- "the healthiest looking" patient he has seen in this situation; and (4) there is no waiting time for the operation; I've got relatively little to worry about.

I'm excited to get this operation out of the way so I can visit with all of you, get back to work, and do all the things I love.

Thank you for all of your good wishes over the last month. It's been great to hear from you all.