I'll Fly Away

Quick trip to the beach in January

Hi, y'all, it's been a long time.

This blog has been lying dormant for years, but it seems like the right place to post about my new cancer journey. Let me start from the beginning to get everyone up to speed. 

I started having mild abdominal pain in November. It was getting worse, more consistent by December, but between work and doctoral classes, I didn't have time to think much about it. I saw a doctor in early January. She thought it was probably just an upper GI issue that would resolve itself. I returned a month later for a physical and bloodwork. The pain was still there, and I could feel a mass in my abdomen. The doctor suspected my gall bladder was inflamed. The bloodwork came back showing elevated liver enzyme levels. This confirmed the doctor's suspicions about the gall bladder, but she wanted to rule out any liver issues, so she ordered an ultrasound. 

The doctor called Tuesday morning to say the ultrasound showed masses on my liver. The next day, I had an MRI, and by the afternoon, a cancer diagnosis. The cancer I have is cholangiocarcinoma, a rare cancer of the bile ducts. Because the tumor is already so massive and is covering a lymph node and blood vessels, it cannot be removed. A liver transplant is also not an option. I have an appointment with an oncologist week after next, but the purpose for chemotherapy will only be to shrink the tumor to hopefully create greater comfort and quality of life. There is no cure, and the cancer is known to be very lethal. My next steps are to seek a second opinion at MD Anderson in Houston and explore the options for possible clinical trials. 

I know this is very heavy news, but please know that I don't need a single thing other than lots of love, healing energy, and prayers. I'll keep posting updates here. Lots of love.