BAD NEWS AND LIVER CANCER. THE OUTCOME.

ANGEL FOR LIVER CANCER.

Well I am finally approaching the ‘back to normal’ stage and I have been a very lucky guy. I had my appointment with the surgeon Dr Black at OSU Wexner Medical Centre last week and basically, I am in the clear.

He checked out my scar, which is apparently looking good and had a good old feel around the surgery site and told me the good news. I am lucky in that the cancer was found at a very early stage and he told me that it was very small and barely beyond a ‘benign’ condition. It was also in a good area for the surgery he carried out (liver resection) which completely removed the tumour. That also means that no chemotherapy was or will be needed. A small part of my liver containing the tumours was cut out but the liver is one of the few organs which, if healthy will regenerate itself in just a few weeks.

My liver is also extremely healthy, no cirrhosis or scarring. I think he described it as being a nice healthy looking pink colour and all is well even after the abuse I gave it over the years. The tumour is gone. It also should not reoccur.

I am still under orders to restrict my lifting to no more than 10lbs for a further 2 weeks in case of a hernia and then I can start my daily exercise routine once more. At the moment my exercise is limited to walking, mostly with the dawg and I manage to clock up 5-6 miles per day, so my Fitbit tells me. That’s about 12000 steps per day. I have even managed to lose more weight. I was just under 180 lbs before the operation, but I am currently down to 167lbs. That’s a tad under 12 stone.

I had the operation on the 23^rd of October and came home on the 28^th of October. The recovery has been fine apart from trying not to lift or do too much which I did a few times resulting in pain and tiredness. I think the oxycodone may have helped but I stopped taking that a week or two ago, after worrying about dependency and I must admit the first day of ‘cold turkey’ was a little uncomfortable but manageable. Now I just rely on Ibuprofen for the pain. I do still get tired easily, but I think I may need some iron pills to rectify that.

So, all is well and good, and I can even celebrate with a Gin & Tonic or two according to my doc. Great news.

Now what advice can I give you?

Firstly, if you are a baby boomer, please get checked for Hepatitis C, especially if you have high AST and ALT liver readings. My surgeon thinks that my Hep C may have caused or contributed to the cancer. I still have the Hep C, but it is curable, and I should be starting a course of treatment in the near future. If you do have high readings then DO get your doctor to explore further, either with Ultrasound/ MRI, or CT scans. NOW.

Secondly, the obvious, DO NOT use intravenous drugs but if you do then only use clean needles. (I don’t and never have used injectables to get high by the way.)

Thirdly. If you indulge in gay or even rough hetero sex, then take precautions. (Again, I am not guilty.)

Fourth. Be very leery of tattoos, especially of ones done by amateurs such as your mates. (Needles again).

Fifth. Be very aware that excessive and regular alcohol use over the years can cause cirrhosis of the liver which can also lead to liver cancer.

And that is it.

I am cured. I feel great. And I look forward to getting on with my life again at last in the very near future. Take care y’all.

© Stan M Rogers December 6^th 2017

 

 

 

Bad News and Liver Cancer Part 4.

ANGEL FOR LIVER CANCER.

Apologies for not writing sooner about the operation but I have been in pain and taking strong pain killers, which have dulled my urge to continue my tale but here we go with Part 4.

My lovely babe putting a smile on my face. 🙂

On Monday 23^rd of October barely 7 weeks after being diagnosed, I presented myself at the Ohio State University Hospital at 9:30 am in readiness for my Liver Resection operation. My gorgeous Kit was with me and constantly calmed my fears.  I was told that this was to be a fairly straight forward operation but of course, being a worrier, my mind was full of all kind of scenarios. Would I wake up from the op? Would it go wrong and leave me in a vegetative state? Would they discover more cancer? My fears were endless but thanks to Kit I was able to prepare for my surgery with a smile on my face.

Signing in for the op.

I met my surgeon Dr Black and even the chief anaesthetist and I was checked over. A nurse tried repeatedly to get a line into my left hand but after 3 attempts had to give up. Apparently, I have “rolling veins”. Not funny. It hurt, but another nurse was called and after another 2 tries was successful.

And that was about it. After about a half hour wait I was wheeled through to the prep room and operating theatre. I remember little of it and it was Goodnight Vienna from me for a while.

Now after this my memories are very hazy obviously. I vaguely remember being wheeled into my ward, but I was drifting in and out of consciousness for I don’t know how long. I remember being awake one time and being asked questions. One was which hospital I was in (I think I answered Cambridge, not Columbus and what day it was but I got that wrong too.)

Kit was there and reassured me that all had gone well with the op. Also, my surgeon appeared at some stage to tell me the op had been a success. The cancer had been removed. Whooppee….

I was obviously on painkillers and over the next few days I had the usual problems I suffer with them. I had hallucinations, vivid hallucinations. I think I was on oxycodone via a drip feed at first. I also suffered again with an Ileus which is common after abdominal surgery, where the bowel becomes inactive. It means that I had to endure clear liquid diet and worst of all a naso-gastric tube which I hate. It took the nurse at least 4 attempts to get one down me, through my nose and down my throat into my stomach. I think I fought weakly but eventually she prevailed. I was also put on multiple laxatives.

NG TUBES. I hate them.

I was continually given broth, jello and lemonade most of which I refused. I wanted real food, but it wasn’t going to happen till my bowel started working again which it eventually did. I even suffered the indignity of a suppository one day for the first time in my life. I do recall shouting “Yehaaaaa” as it was inserted. Not nice. Lol.

Kit was in and out every day to check on me and tell me off for giving the nurses grief. I had gone in on Monday and I think by Wednesday or Thursday I managed a few painful first steps. I had regular visits from the doctors mostly to check if my bowel had started working but as I said it did eventually and I was informed on Saturday morning that I could go home. I also had my first proper food. Scrambled eggs with toast for breakfast and I think meatloaf with mash for dinner. Never has food tasted so good. My NG tube had also been removed which was a lot less painful than it is going in.

And so here I am back home now after a week so far. I am still on painkillers to ease the pain and I still feel very weak, but I am improving. My wound was actually glued shut (no stitches or staples) and it does leak slightly meaning I get through at least a couple of tee shirts a day, but it isn’t too bad although I think the tee shirts will be written off when I am fully recovered. Recovery is expected to take about six weeks until approx. mid-December. I do have an after operation visit with the surgeon on 21 November which I hope will be just routine.

My scar. Still painful.

I am taking it very easy at the moment just using doggie walking for exercising at present but hopefully next week I can restart my gym sessions, slowly at first obviously. Although I ate virtually nothing all of the time I was in hospital I actually gained 11 pounds going up to 188lbs when I came home but I believe that was mostly fluid retention and this morning I was back down to 175lbs which is good. I still wake up most nights which I believe is due to trying to turn in my sleep which hurts and wakes me up.

And that is my news so far. Hopefully you will find my posts interesting and feel free to share if you know anyone who might be suffering from the same problems and please contact me if you want more information.

Stan R. 3 November 2017.

BAD NEWS AND LIVER CANCER PART 3.

Finally, I have a date for my liver resection operation. After first being told it wouldn’t be until late November it has now been scheduled for next week on Monday 23^rd October at 10am.

I am more than ever now filled with mixed emotions. Sometimes I feel like I am riding a roller-coaster. I am glad I suppose that I now have a definite date and that has at least eased the uncertainty a little. But sometimes I feel so low. I feel like I am alone on a rocky, cold, windswept island surrounded by an angry sea. I want to call out for help but I am afraid that my cries will go unheeded, blown away in a cruel cold wind. I suppose that sometimes I feel I should face this alone, that I am just a bother to the ones I love and care for. I feel this is an inconvenience to all. I feel that I can’t reach out for help. I even feel occasionally that I hope I don’t wake up from the op. Just disappear quietly alone into darkness and oblivion.

Other times I feel like I am on a high. The cancer has been caught early enough and after six weeks or so I will be back to my normal self. I have a loving wife in Kit who does try to help me with my lows and for that I am grateful and so very appreciative. I feel such joy that I am not facing this alone. I feel loved and a gentle peace washes over me at such moments. I feel warm and content.

At the moment? Well really I am between the two, feeling no more than a kind of numbness of heart, a feeling that good or bad, what will be will be, just bring it on.

Finally, as I write this a poem comes to mind. Not mine I am afraid but one of Dylan Thomas’ best known works. This is it.

Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.

Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.

And you, my father, there on that sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. 

Dylan Thomas

And so I will try to follow his words. I will not go gentle into that good night.

© 2017 Stan M Rogers. All rights reserved.

© 1947 Dylan Thomas. Do not go gentle into that good night.

 

BAD NEWS AND LIVER CANCER. PART 2.

Today was pre-op assessment day (Monday 9^th October 2017). This was to check that I am healthy enough to be able to have the liver cancer resection operation. As I said in my last post this will involve cutting out the tumour from my liver then the surgeon will manually check my liver for further tumours. See my last post for further information. Also click on the underlined hyperlinks as usual for more information on that subject.

And so, Kit and I set off for my appointment at 2pm at the Martha Morehouse Medical Plaza in Columbus. Not too much to be scared of really, although I did feel some trepidation as this will be the final appointment before the operation I presume.

MARTHA MOREHOUSE MEDICAL PLAZA.

We arrived early and it was great to find that parking was free or valet parking was only $3. Can’t beat that. Registration was simple and quick and we were forwarded on to the pre-assessment unit. The usual tests ensued, blood pressure (good 128/68) weight good (180lbs) temp, good, Hat (black & very sexy) and so on.

HAT, BLACK AND SEXY…LOL

My major check was an EKG heart test which was also fine according to my babe who sneaked a peak at the read out (Kit is a nurse). It was shirt off, trousers rolled up and lots of sticky pads and electrodes attached. I think if the medical assistant had pressed the wrong button I’d have lit up like a Christmas Tree. All these tests, and in particular the EKG were to determine if I was healthy enough for the forthcoming operation.

Next a Doctor Rogers came in (coincidence) gave me a few facts and departed before the Nurse Practitioner arrived. These are the warrant officers of the medical profession I think as they seem to know more than the docs who would equate to officers. I was given the lowdown. No meds apart from my Felodipine on op day and stop all my other meds including over the counter stuff and aspirin at various times before the op.

I was also given a bottle of jollop called Hibiclens and told to shower with it the night before and morning of the surgery. No food or drink after midnight before the surgery … the usual. I was given a load of printed instructions to follow and we were on our away apart from the usual blood test on the way out. It was great, one of the few occasions I haven’t felt a thing as the needle went in. Hats off to the phlebotomist whose name I can’t remember.

HIBICLENS JOLLOP

She also gave me a red envelope which I was told not to lose and to bring to the op. If I forget apparently, my op may be cancelled. It has, I am told, a green wristband in it with my blood type (blue, laced with coffee) in it.

And that was it for my pre-op. Pretty straightforward really but now the wait begins and I am worried about it. I have asked my doc for something to help me sleep. I am normally a fairly sound sleeper but I was awake this morning at 3am. As soon as I was awake … well that was it. The working through of varying scenarios in my brain, the worrying about outcomes and my Kit, who worries as much as me. The hospital doc said I can’t take Melatonin which is freely available over the counter in the USA even for kids, so I will have to see if the doc prescribes me anything. I have heard nothing yet. And I guess tonight might well be another sleepless night but hey-ho.

MELATONIN GUMMIES

If you would like to ask me any questions about the medical routines and upcoming operation, feel free to message me and I will point you in the (hopefully) right direction or let you know of my own experiences. Don’t be afraid to ask or even share my posts. They may help someone going through the same or similar problems.

And as always … take care and stay healthy.

Stan R, Dublin, Ohio 9^th October 2017.

© 2017 Stan M Rogers. All rights reserved.

 

 

BAD NEWS AND LIVER CANCER. PART 1

ANGEL FOR LIVER CANCER.

Just three short weeks ago I received news that altered my life. On Friday 8^th of September 2017, just 3 days before my 64^th birthday I was told that I had liver cancer. To say I was shattered is an understatement. In just one short phone call my hopes and dreams became as nothing. To be honest I thought that’s it. My number is up. My mind was in turmoil as to what I should do. Should I prepare for the worst-case scenario? Was I going to die? Was it going to be a painful death? How much time did I have left? After the initial shock I rang Kit who had not long left for work. She was a godsend and bless her she came straight home. I have never needed her more than I did at that moment. As I waited for my babe I looked back at my medical past.

I also decided to post a record of my illness and treatments past, present and future to my blog to help any of you who may be suffering from the same trouble or maybe even your friends/family that may need this information. It may help. I hope so. Please share this post also. It may help someone too.

I have had high liver readings for many years now. My AST and ALT levels have been very high for well over 10 years. For an explanation of these tests click here. If you have the same high readings then please get your doctor to follow up on it a.s.a.p. It was variously suggested over the years going back as far as the early 2000s that it could be caused by alcohol, a fatty liver, or even the Statins I was taking for cholesterol, but it seems it may have been none of these in my case. There is a possibility that statins may cause liver damage. See this article for example but as always make up your own mind or seek further advice before stopping any prescribed medication.

SIMVASTATIN

I used to enjoy a drink or two (lol or more) but over the last 10 years my consumption levels have dropped drastically and I hardly touch alcohol now for months on end. I was even told back then to stop drinking for a month then get re-tested. It made no difference to the results but giving up Statins for a while did seem to make a slight difference, but no further action was taken despite the regular tut-tutting each time I had blood tests over the years.

Just before Christmas 2016 my USA doctor (Dr Pandya) decided to investigate the matter further. Following a battery of blood tests, it turned out that I have Hepatitis C. Shock! Horror! How could I have Hepatitis C? Most of the usual causes did not seem to cover me. I have never used intravenous drugs apart from one time at a party back in 1981 although I guess I could have been unlucky. I have never engaged in gay sex (heterosexual sex is apparently a very small risk) and the most common cause which is through an infected blood transfusion doesn’t apply to me either. Hepatitis C can cause amongst other things, liver damage including cirrhosis leading to liver cancer, so it seems that the Hepatitis C may be the culprit in my case. Note that I say ‘maybe’ as there is not, and there is unlikely to be any definitive proof of any one cause in my case.

A little factoid here. 1 in 30 American baby boomers (born roughly between the mid-1940s – early 1960s), are believed to have Hepatitis C, mostly caught from infected blood transfusions carried out in the early 1980s and further back before transfusion blood products were routinely treated for just that scenario. I believe that happened following the first AIDS cases being spread in the same manner, again in the early 1980s. I have no reason to believe that the figures are any different in the UK either by the way. After the early 1980s blood transfusions were mostly safe. I have had no blood transfusions. Also, most people do not even realise that they have the Hepatitis C until it begins to cause liver damage and that can take many years, so be warned if you were born before the early 1980s get yourself tested as soon as you can. It is just a blood test.

Now I am purely guessing because there is no way of telling, that I could have caught Hepatitis C in 2 ways. I did have a tattoo (another notorious conduit for the Hep C virus) about a year ago in August 2016, albeit in what I believe to be a reputable tattooist in Haverhill, Suffolk, in the UK. Be warned to NEVER EVER have a ‘mate’ tattoo you. I also believe that another likely cause could have been the blood brother ceremonies we carried out back in the late 1970s/early 1980s, usually when pissed late at night with mates. You know the ones if you were there. Cut your hands and swap blood with a mate while swearing a drunken lifelong loyalty to each other. Lots of us did it back then. People probably still do it now. DON’T. But again, all of this is just guesswork and I am never likely to know now.

It can also be passed on from mother to baby. Possible? But unlikely I like to believe in my case. Who knows? But anyway, I have Hepatitis C whether I like it or not.

There followed more blood tests as there is a cure for Hepatitis C but it comes in various genetic types and before they can start you on a drug regimen they must genotype the strain that you have. I had tests in the USA and the UK which both showed only such a small amount of the virus in my blood that they were unable to ascertain which type it was. I was also routinely tested for H.I.V but thankfully that was negative. My treatment for Hep C is currently on hold until after my surgery.

But back to the near present. Back in July this year (2017) I was given another liver ultrasound scan which showed a few signs of something on my liver and so next I was given an M.R.I scan (Magnetic resonance imaging), both at Dublin Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. My doctor called me in and informed me that there were a few suspicious signs on my liver after these tests.

DUBLIN METHODIST HOSPITAL

I will add here that M.R.I scans are not as scary as some people make them out to be. I had a needle in my arm as they pump a kind of radioactive dye into you during the test (known as contrast) and you are given headphones, a) to drown out the sound and b) so the nurse can talk to you and give you instructions. My M.R.I scanner was fairly open and not the coffin like structure that some people may lead you to believe. It was also not too noisy, a bit like a washing machine running. I found the whole process not unpleasant at all so don’t be frightened if you need to have one. You can feel the dye entering your bloodstream but again it is not an unpleasant feeling at all. It is reasonably fast and not too uncomfortable. For more info on MRI scanners including pictures click here.

A TYPICAL MRI SCANNER

Next were more blood tests looking for tumour markers. I breathed a sigh of relief when the results came back mostly clear. One reading was slightly raised. It should have been 6 or under and mine was 9 although I was assured it was not remarkable and only likely to cause concern if it was, say 400 or so. Another sigh of relief. For more info on these tests click here. I started to plan starting work here and I had already bought a new car to travel to work. But….

My Doc again asked me in and said that there was probably no need to worry but due to the new marks on my liver it would be best to have a liver biopsy just in case. OK I was fine with that and was booked in again to Dublin Methodist after visiting a Dr Toscano (a very pleasant guy), a Hepatologist at Riverside Methodist Hospital, again in Columbus.

RIVERSIDE METHODIST HOSPITAL

I didn’t look forward to it, I must admit as it sounded painful but it actually wasn’t too bad. I was pumped full of sedatives via an IV line and wheeled into the CT scanner room, which is what they use to find the area to biopsy. A kind of grille template is put on your abdomen and then they run the CT scanner (computerised tomography) after pumping contrast dye into you through the IV line. They then draw a small cross on your abdomen where they plan to put the needle in which snips off several samples of your liver. Information on CT scanners can be found here.

A TYPICAL CT SCANNER

The doc will then do his job. The area on your abdomen where he will insert the biopsy needle is numbed so you only feel a slight prick as it goes in and then you hear a few clicks as he takes samples from your liver. Don’t forget that I was sedated so I was pretty much in La-La land and I only felt a slight pain at each click.

Luckily, I had Kit with me as obviously you can’t drive home after the sedatives but after a couple of hours kip I was mostly fine if a little woozy. I was also instructed to take it easy for a few days, i.e. no heavy lifting etc. And that was that I thought. Just get the result back then off to find a job …….but…

BEFORE THE BIOPSY

AND AFTER

The CT scan biopsy was on Friday 1^st September and I heard nothing back straight away, so presuming all was well I started applying for jobs. Until the following Friday the 8^th September when I got the call at about 4pm from Dr Toscano. It went along the lines of “I’m very sorry to tell you but your biopsy proved positive. You have liver cancer.”

Kit was brilliant. I was shell-shocked after the call but I soon rang her at work and she came straight home to me, bless her. It was probably as big a shock to her as to me. She even took the Monday off as well to be with me. Of course we talked a lot about outcomes and what to do if this happened or that happened but all we could do was wait until we got more news. And so, a very worrying week passed by.

My next appointment was at Ohio State University hospital in downtown Columbus with a Dr Anthony Michaels (another nice guy) on Monday 18^th September. We didn’t learn that much other than what we already knew and he simply referred me on to another surgeon in the Transplant Dept. after confirming I would need surgery, although he assured us that I would not be needing a transplant. Later the same day I received a phone call arranging an appointment for yet another CT scan of my chest in case the cancer had spread to my lungs. That was arranged for the next day at a small OSU facility near us at Stoneridge in Dublin. Things seemed to be moving fast.

OSU HOSPITAL

I am getting used to these scans now and this was an easy one. All over in 20 minutes and back home, no sedatives required. I even got a call from the Doctors office the same day telling me the scan of my lungs was clear. One piece of good news at last. And my last appointment of the week on the Thursday was at my GP’s for Hepatitis A & B vaccinations along with my flu shot.

And on to my last appointment which was again at Ohio State University Hospital with the fantastically named Dr Sylvester Black (another great guy, although for some reason his name always conjures up an image of a cartoon villain akin to Dick Dastardly). This was last Tuesday 26^th September in the Transplant Unit. He explained to me what he planned to do.

AT OSU WITH BRUTUS BUCKEYE

Now my liver is otherwise healthy, not scarred or cirrhotic and there is a small 3 cm lesion in the left lateral segment which is good news apparently as it means I can have a liver resection. That means they will just cut the cancerous part out. Apparently, I will spend 3-5 days in hospital if all goes well and it will take about 6 weeks to recover. I will also receive some chemotherapy to make sure all traces of the cancer are gone. And now I just have to wait for my surgery date which I am told should be within 4 weeks or 5 weeks max. The actual operation is only expected to last an hour or so and Dr Black told me he will cut a ‘J’ section in my abdomen for this (another scar to add to my Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm one). He will then cut the lesion out and also pull some of my liver out to examine it (visually or by touch? I’m not sure. Maybe both.) to check that there are no further signs of cancer. Marvellous eh? Maybe I can get him to take a picture of that and I can share it to Facebook…lol.

And now for a very strange coincidence. In my very first novel, Love Sex and Time Travel, my heroine Romilly also finds out that she has liver cancer. I have just reread the parts that cover her tests and procedures and they are surprisingly accurate for 2007 which was the year that part of the novel was set and also when it was written. Even the part regarding the MRI and ultrasound biopsy are fairly accurate, great research and a pat on the back to myself. I know that now myself, although I had a CT scan biopsy instead. Very spooky that I should suffer the same medical problems as Romilly. For those of you that have read the book you will know Romilly’s fate. If you haven’t, well you can download Love Sex and Time Travel here as an eBook for only $4.99 or UK equivalent.

And next. My feelings through all of this? Well Kit has been marvellous and believe me this diagnosis has affected her deeply too. Now I am a person that tends to hide my feelings. Stiff upper lip and all that (well I am British old chap… lol) and I tend to put on a brave outer face a lot of the time but as I said earlier my brain has often been in turmoil through all of these past few weeks. Sometimes I think that I should not put my lovely wife through all of this and it fills me with anguish. I must admit I have occasionally in my blacker moments even been tempted to just run or even to end it all but good sense prevails and I will not give in to those feelings.

MY BEAUTIFUL KIT BOUGHT ME BERTIE BUCKEYE BEAR FOR LUCK IN MY OP.

Despite the Surgeon’s comforting words, I know that lots can still go wrong yet, for example more lesions being found or the cancer returning so I am still very frightened at the prospect of the upcoming operation, it’s after-effects and the future after the operation. But I will be strong. I have to be for the people that love and need me. I have no belief in any so-called gods or spirits but I have to have faith in the skill of the doctors and I have faith in the love of my wife and the love I have for her. I also believe in karma and what will be, will no doubt be.

So until my next appointment I will say cheerio and stay In good health. And please message me if you have any questions.

Cheers.

Stan R – October 6th 2017.

 

© 2017 Stan M Rogers. All rights reserved.