On 9/22/2007 mehndiratta wrote:
My wife is diagnosed with stage iv cholangio/gallbladder cancer. unresectable. started on chemo three weeks ago. nobody is offering any other therapy. chemo is not curative only palliative to releive symptoms. does anybody know if anyother therapy would work to prolong her life.
Hello,
No one patient is the same, so I cannot really offer you more than my sympathy and the story of my husband. But may be it helps.
In May this year my husband was diagnosed with this terrible cancer. A huge blow, he has allways lived a sportive and healthy life, has never been ill and now suddenly this death sentence. De doctors tried surgery, but the liver was too far infected and there was one metastase, so they stopped surgery and told us he had only a couple of weeks left.
Chemo was offered, but as you mentioned only palliative. They put in a metal stent to continue gall flow-off and the symptoms itch and yellowness disappeared. My husband refused chemo, he didnot want to live longer but have less quality because of the chemo.
Now we are 4 months further. Because the symptoms are no longer bothering him he is feeling very well. Went back to work and plays squash again. The ten kilo's weight he lost, he gained back. He found innerly peace with his illness and says that he (we) had a wonderfully happy life and are very rich with our two sons who are grown up and doing very well in life. He says he tells his body that he is expected it to function as he wants it. He knows he will loose this battle, but up till now it pretty much functions as he wants it.
Doctors in hospital say they never came across a Klatskin patient like he is and are really thinking with us how they can keep him as long as possible so good as he is now. That means that he will probably get a second stent, to let more gall flow off. In the meantime, we are fully aware that the cancer will progress, but since this is a very slowly growing one, we hope we will have a couple more months.
I sincerely hope this story will help you and you wife. This type of cancer is an enemy you cannot defeat, but I think you can gain the quality of life back for the time you still have. By loving each other, by eating well and healthy and by not letting despair take over.
Will you please keep me posted how you and your wife are doing? All the best,
Iris.