"The Scoop" - what is going on with Lisa - 1of2

[MGordon]

Hello Angels

Drat - I just wrote this really long post to fill you all in and somehow when I went to post it, it disappeared. Back to the keyboard, and I'll try not to cry this time. (I think my membership to the Man Law Committee is being revolked!)

I have spoken with Lisa and she has given me permission to share what is going on. I am sorry for this delay, but I wanted to repsect her privacy if that was her wish. Warning - this might become a lenghty post and could be repetitive for some of you, but here goes.

We have admitted Lisa into Home-based Hospice Care, and suspended all chemotherapy treatment. Not an easy decision, but hopefully one you'll understand when I have finished. The story goes back a few weeks and you are probably aware of the fact we had to place a stint into Lisa's Common Bile Duct (bypassing her Gall Bladder). Basically, her Common Bile Duct had succumbed to excessive pressure from her inflamed abdominal lymphatic system. With the cancer moving into the lymphs, there has been a great deal of swelling and pressure.

We placed the stint because Lisa had developed severe jaundice and her billirubin level had crashed. The "collapsed" Commmon Bile Duct was causing her stomach to hold bile and not drain. Made her extremely sick and uncomfortable. The good news was that we saw and immediate improvement in her jaundice and her billirubin returned to normal. The bad news was she did not feel any better - I think she described it to you all as "poopy". The worst news was that she was still constantly sick.

We had to admit Lisa into the Cancer Care Center at our hospital and start a series of tests. She was in for seven days and the end result fo these tests was the discovery that her stomach ahd stopped being a stomach. For some reason - most likely related to the issue with her Common Bile Duct, her stomach stopped digesting anything and was simply holding everything. Every time she ate or drank she would throw up becasue there was nowhere for the food/drink to go. The stomach was distended and filled with unprocessed/undigested food - AND MEDS.

The doctors started her on a treatment course using a drug called Reglan. this drug "jump started" her stomach and we were released for the hospital. Only to go back two days later. This time for four days.

To be continued