Bile Duct Diaries III

11 Jan., 2008

Bile Duct Diaries III

Yesterday Jane and I went to meet the surgeon at the Radcliffe Hospital. It wasn’t easy hearing the whole situation explained in all its medical detail, and I can feel myself hearing certain things and not listening to others. They are assuming there is cancer in the bile duct/pancreas area, and the vast majority of these cancers are malignant, so they assume that too. In my favour is the fact that they have not yet detected metastasised cancer, so surgery rather than chemotherapy is favoured. This will involve cutting a lot of stuff away: parts of the stomach and pancreas, the duodenum, lymph nodes, the gall bladder and the bile duct……to name but a few. It is shocking to hear this, but this is a well known operative procedure called the Whipple Procedure (yes, sounds like it should be called the ‘whip-it-out’ procedure).

The cancer is deep within the abdomen, so they will only really be able to assess things fully with observation and biopsies, once they open me up. If they think that is sufficient, then I am on a 3 month (?) road to recovery, if they discover other things going on, then I may have to go on to chemotherapy, but let’s cross those bridges when we come to them.

They still have to wait for my pancreatitis to clam down, so the internal organs are strong enough to cope with the operation and the subsequent risk of internal bleeding, so I have to wait a few more weeks. We thought this was the best time to transfer my case to the Royal Free, which has an excellent liver/surgical department, and is easier for family and friends to arrange visits, so we will be on their case to ensure I don’t have to wait too long for this. Hopefully the operation will be early in Feb.

All you Tavi colleagues have been amazing at stepping into the breach with my cases and supervisions and courses. Everything is nearly accounted for, and I am finding it harder and harder to sustain the idea that the clinic cannot cope without me, so thanks to all of you for that. We know also there are a lot of thoughts, concern and prayers coming in our direction, and that is very supportive when we are trying to come to terms with all this….in such a short space of time, so thank you once again for this.

Love,
David (and Jane)