Survivor

Hello All,

I am 62 years old and a survivor of a bile duct operation to remove a potentially life-threatening tumour. Talking to people, it is surprising how little is known about this condition; the typical symptoms, treatment and recovery after the operation.. I was lucky in that I developed the typical symtoms - jaundice and an infernal body itch. Also my Physician, Dr. Bernard Insam, refered me to a surgeon,  Dr. Grant Phillips at the Westville Hospital in Durban, within a month of his suspicions that I was suffering from something more than what inserting a stent in the bile duct could correct. I was operated on 1st November 2008 when the tumour was removed from my bile duct along with 30% of my liver.

 Although it is early days in my recovery, I would like to share my experinces both pre-op and post-op with those who have undergone the operation and perhaps help the "man-in-the-street" to recognise the symptoms of this condition.    

To all those less fortunate than me, my heart goes out to you and yours and may you God give you his strength and blessings during this time

Regards

Bill Lawler 

 

On 3/3/2009 billyjohn wrote:

Hello All,

I am 62 years old and a survivor of a bile duct operation to remove a potentially life-threatening tumour. Talking to people, it is surprising how little is known about this condition; the typical symptoms, treatment and recovery after the operation.. I was lucky in that I developed the typical symtoms - jaundice and an infernal body itch. Also my Physician, Dr. Bernard Insam, refered me to a surgeon,  Dr. Grant Phillips at the Westville Hospital in Durban, within a month of his suspicions that I was suffering from something more than what inserting a stent in the bile duct could correct. I was operated on 1st November 2008 when the tumour was removed from my bile duct along with 30% of my liver.

 Although it is early days in my recovery, I would like to share my experinces both pre-op and post-op with those who have undergone the operation and perhaps help the "man-in-the-street" to recognise the symptoms of this condition.    

To all those less fortunate than me, my heart goes out to you and yours and may you God give you his strength and blessings during this time

Regards

Bill Lawler 

Hello Bill,

That's a great...that you would like to share the pre-op and post-op with us. I see you were operated on in November 2008 approximately 90 days ago.

When can we expect to read more about your experiences with this very deadly cancer?

My wife had bile duct cancer in July 2003 and is still recovering and will be recovering the rest of her life, she's only 58...I hope you have a very caring  care-giver. Recovery form this cancer surgery is not a cake walk...there are many up and downs and many visits to ER.

By the way, you are absolutely correct when you say very little is known clinicaly about bile duct cancer.., the people that get bile duct cancer end up knowing much more than the doctor.

Take care...looking forward to seeing what your experiences where

Leonard   

 

 

 

On 3/3/2009 billyjohn wrote:

Hello All,

I am 62 years old and a survivor of a bile duct operation to remove a potentially life-threatening tumour. Talking to people, it is surprising how little is known about this condition; the typical symptoms, treatment and recovery after the operation.. I was lucky in that I developed the typical symtoms - jaundice and an infernal body itch. Also my Physician, Dr. Bernard Insam, refered me to a surgeon,  Dr. Grant Phillips at the Westville Hospital in Durban, within a month of his suspicions that I was suffering from something more than what inserting a stent in the bile duct could correct. I was operated on 1st November 2008 when the tumour was removed from my bile duct along with 30% of my liver.

 Although it is early days in my recovery, I would like to share my experinces both pre-op and post-op with those who have undergone the operation and perhaps help the "man-in-the-street" to recognise the symptoms of this condition.    

To all those less fortunate than me, my heart goes out to you and yours and may you God give you his strength and blessings during this time

Regards

Bill Lawler 

My dad has this bile duct cancer. We have been told by his Drs. at UAB in Birmingham that he will have to undergo treatments of chemo and radiation for the rest of his life being that the cancer is inoperbale. I just dont believe this when we have found so many people including yourself that have had the surgrey and are still living! Please help me with anything you may know that we need to do or where to go to in order for him to get the right care. He's only been to this one Dr and i feel he needs a second opinion.

 

Hi Ashley, Sorry to hear about your Dad,  and I agree with you - try for a second opinion. You don't get many chances for beat this disease and I believe that you must explore all the avenues open as soon as possible. I don't know where your Dad's tumour is but depending on its location, it is not always operable. In my case the cancer had not spread to any of the close organs so I was lucky. My bile duct was removed, a by-pass inserted and all the surrundng tissue (including part of the liver) removed to prevent any spread. I had my 1st tests last moth and everything is fine - no sign of C. I was told by my surgeon that depending on where the tumour was (they could not locate it precisely until they operated) chemo and radiation and a possible future liver transplant were the only other options. At the outset I was told that my chances of recovery was at most 50%! Please give your Dad my regards and I will be thinking of you all and praying for a full recovery. Regards, Bill

 

 

On 3/7/2009 Solutions wrote:

 

On 3/3/2009 billyjohn wrote:

Hello All,

I am 62 years old and a survivor of a bile duct operation to remove a potentially life-threatening tumour. Talking to people, it is surprising how little is known about this condition; the typical symptoms, treatment and recovery after the operation.. I was lucky in that I developed the typical symtoms - jaundice and an infernal body itch. Also my Physician, Dr. Bernard Insam, refered me to a surgeon,  Dr. Grant Phillips at the Westville Hospital in Durban, within a month of his suspicions that I was suffering from something more than what inserting a stent in the bile duct could correct. I was operated on 1st November 2008 when the tumour was removed from my bile duct along with 30% of my liver.

 Although it is early days in my recovery, I would like to share my experinces both pre-op and post-op with those who have undergone the operation and perhaps help the "man-in-the-street" to recognise the symptoms of this condition.    

To all those less fortunate than me, my heart goes out to you and yours and may you God give you his strength and blessings during this time

Regards

Bill Lawler 

Hello Bill,

That's a great...that you would like to share the pre-op and post-op with us. I see you were operated on in November 2008 approximately 90 days ago.

When can we expect to read more about your experiences with this very deadly cancer?

My wife had bile duct cancer in July 2003 and is still recovering and will be recovering the rest of her life, she's only 58...I hope you have a very caring  care-giver. Recovery form this cancer surgery is not a cake walk...there are many up and downs and many visits to ER.

By the way, you are absolutely correct when you say very little is known clinicaly about bile duct cancer.., the people that get bile duct cancer end up knowing much more than the doctor.

Take care...looking forward to seeing what your experiences where

Leonard   

 

 

 

Hi Leonard,

It's 8 months now since I had the tumour removed and my bile duct reconstructed and going along just fine. I have picked up half of the 20kgs I lost in weight and the scans and blood tests I ahad 2 weeks ago show no signs of any reoccurance.

Will keep ypu posted

Regards,

Bill

 

On 7/13/2009 billyjohn wrote:

 

On 3/7/2009 Solutions wrote:

 

On 3/3/2009 billyjohn wrote:

Hello All,

I am 62 years old and a survivor of a bile duct operation to remove a potentially life-threatening tumour. Talking to people, it is surprising how little is known about this condition; the typical symptoms, treatment and recovery after the operation.. I was lucky in that I developed the typical symtoms - jaundice and an infernal body itch. Also my Physician, Dr. Bernard Insam, refered me to a surgeon,  Dr. Grant Phillips at the Westville Hospital in Durban, within a month of his suspicions that I was suffering from something more than what inserting a stent in the bile duct could correct. I was operated on 1st November 2008 when the tumour was removed from my bile duct along with 30% of my liver.

 Although it is early days in my recovery, I would like to share my experinces both pre-op and post-op with those who have undergone the operation and perhaps help the "man-in-the-street" to recognise the symptoms of this condition.    

To all those less fortunate than me, my heart goes out to you and yours and may you God give you his strength and blessings during this time

Regards

Bill Lawler 

Hello Bill,

That's a great...that you would like to share the pre-op and post-op with us. I see you were operated on in November 2008 approximately 90 days ago.

When can we expect to read more about your experiences with this very deadly cancer?

My wife had bile duct cancer in July 2003 and is still recovering and will be recovering the rest of her life, she's only 58...I hope you have a very caring  care-giver. Recovery form this cancer surgery is not a cake walk...there are many up and downs and many visits to ER.

By the way, you are absolutely correct when you say very little is known clinicaly about bile duct cancer.., the people that get bile duct cancer end up knowing much more than the doctor.

Take care...looking forward to seeing what your experiences where

Leonard   

 

 

 

Hi Leonard,

It's 8 months now since I had the tumour removed and my bile duct reconstructed and going along just fine. I have picked up half of the 20kgs I lost in weight and the scans and blood tests I ahad 2 weeks ago show no signs of any reoccurance.

Will keep ypu posted

Regards,

Bill

Hi Bill,

That's great news...keep a positive outlook, it means a lot. How offend are they scheduling scans and blood work? My wife was doing a PET/CTscan and lab work every 90 days for the first 2 years. The 3rd year scans showed a tumor resurfaced. I was handle handled with oral chemo and radiation. The next year the cancer resurfaced again. She did radiation only but there were complications. Now the cancer spread to the liver and she is doing IV chemo treatments. 

This cancer is very difficult to control. I wish you well...

Leonard