Liver Obstruction

 We left the hospital around 7 pm from the stent replacement last Friday, the 10th. Mark slept almost constantly for two days after the procedure. From the report, I learned that the reason for the blockage was a new tumor. Nothing is stopping their rapid growth. By Sunday night, he was feeling a bit better, and his mind was clearing. Around 1 am, he became restless, so I gave him the proscribed Ativan to help him calm down. Shortly after that, he became agitated and extremely confused. Neither of us slept the rest of the night. In the morning, the pain management doctor asked about his symptoms which included dizziness, double vision, headache, nausea, vomiting, and hallucinations. She was concerned about a stroke, but he didn't have any of the other typical signs. Nonetheless, she encouraged us to go to the nearest ER, so Monday, the 13th, we spent the day at Meridian Park Hospital. 

The CT of the brain was clear, but his liver enzymes were elevated, which was not a good sign, especially since the stents had been placed. After the CT of his abdomen, we went home. Since Mark is so weak and unsteady, he could easily fall. When he is confused, he gets out of bed to do projects that his mind has conjured up. Our children made arrangements to be with me 24/7 to monitor him at all times. 

Tuesday morning, we learned that the cluster of growing tumors has caused blockage on the left side of his liver. Unfortunately, there's nothing that can be done except shrink the tumors. We had Tafinlar on hand that we have started. Yesterday his urine was lighter, indicating that the bilirubin count is decreasing. Maybe the tumors will shrink enough to allow drainage. Today we got word that the new generation targeted therapy drugs have been approved and will be mailed to us. They may work even better than the last ones.

Mark continues to have extreme fatigue. He can get up for short stents, but he has no stamina. An intermittent low-grade fever could be a side effect of the Tafinlar. Hopefully, it isn't from infection. Pancreatitis is always a concern after an ERCP, but he hasn't had the pain typically associated with it. Tomorrow's lab work will give us more insight into what is happening. 

Our pain management doctor has worked with many cancer patients. She said, as did Dr. Taylor that this can go either direction. He could bounce back with the targeted therapy, allowing him to possibly have the T-cell transplant, although that would be months away, as FDA approval is required for each individual case. Once they get the okay to proceed, it takes several months to clone enough warrior cells, and the procedure to put them back into the body is tougher than any other treatment he has had thus far. The clinical trial is no longer an option since we're using the targeted therapy. His body has been fighting cancer for 10 years, and it is getting more aggressive. His body may simply shut down, even if the blockage drains. She explained that cancer doesn't often progress along a typical timeline, as do some diseases. He could feel fine one day and be gone the next. It's good for us to know that so we are prepared. Our children and grandchildren are coming to visit a few at a time. There have been many sweet moments. It's not all sadness here. We laugh and enjoy our time with him and each other. 

How we appreciate all the loving support, we have and are currently receiving. We have no idea what tomorrow will bring, but today is a beautiful day.