Liver Update - $#%#@& Gallbladder
So, you may remember that I had been posting about my liver enzymes running high for about three months, and my onc not being overly concerned, but waiting to talk to my GI (I have Crohn's) about it.
Sure enough, the nite before the GI would be back, I had an acute attack of pain, nausea, vomiting and my bowels shut down entirely. I also had tightness around my chest. My sister was visiting, and I told her if vicoding could get me through the nite, I'd rather go see the GI in the AM than go to the ER in the middle of the nite. So that's what we did. BTW, I was pretty sure I was not having a heart attack, and my sister had a gallbladder attack last year with chest tightness.
My regular GI was of course, crazy busy, so I saw one of his junior partners. I was terrified that it was an obstruction or cancer in my liver. They did an EKG, normal, and blood, normal, off to the radiology center for an ultrasound. DX: bug fat ugly gallbladder that needs to come out. Was admitted to hospital, finally put on pain meds and antibiotics and surgery the next day.
They were sceptical that they would be able to do the surgery laparoscopically b/c I have a lot of scar tissue from other surgeries. But I made that my intention as I was wheeling into surgery, and though it took them four hours, they were able to do it. So now I only feel like a horse has trampled me.
Interesting note for all my friends here: It never occurred to my GI that I was worried about liver mets! When my onc's jr. partner stopped by, he said, thank god it wasn't mets, he totally got it. So even though it is absolutely top of mind for all of us, it's not for all the doctors we run across. Crazy.
So surgery Fri, released Sunday, home resting. Should be back to work next week. And my liver enzymes were already getting back to normal while I was in the hospital.
Rebecca
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Dx 8/06 Age 43 Stage IIIA multifocal throughout breast, largest tumor 5 cm, grade 3, comedo, ER+PR+HER+++
Neoadjuvant A/C 4X Dose Dense
11/06 Bilateral Mastectomy (no choice on the right, my choice on the left)
Taxol+Herceptin weekly x12, continuing with Herceptin, finished one year in 12/07
33 Rads
Femara for 5+ years, staying on (started with Arimidex, switched after about a month, much happier)
Abnormal brain MRI shows no cancer, but "extensive white matter diease" - unknown cause
BRCA negative - lots of cancer in my family
survivor of thyroid cancer
also have Crohn's disease
CT and bone scan say NED as of 5/13
dx with severe cardiomyopathy 5/12 (likely due to chemo and Herceptin), ejection fraction in low 20's, now up to 40, went to 50, latest read 12/13 is back down to 35
1/13 Acute pancreatitis - are you kidding me?
9/13 started Humira for Crohn's. starting to have some energy again
B12 and Vit D both needed supplementation
Cataracts in both eyes noted 6/12 - surgery in the next 2-4 years?
4/14 Kidney stones/blockage/infection - related to Crohn's Disease
5/14 My aunt passed away - she was diagnosed after I was with Stage I - not Her2+, then Stage 4 for about one year
6/14 Scans - still NED, thank God. However, broken rib (I didn't notice) lots of bone degeneration osteopenia/osteoporosis. I also still have cardiomyopathy secondary to chemo.
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