Sharing Some Bad News

I guess we’ll just cut to the chase … the Trials nurse walks in and says … oh your face … I said it’s yellow … then she looks at my belly … oh it’s bigger … yes I said, trying to hold back the tears. She proceeded to tell my liver functions numbers were up once again. We looked over the numbers. Ok a tear came down. A little discussion, then I said and how many weeks can I be off Brivanib before I’m kicked off the study? She said four. More tears. Next week is considered my 4th week and there is no possible way those liver function numbers could come down in one week. So I’m off the study, I said … yes, said the nurse.

We spent some time talking as she tried to console me. I asked how long do I have … she said the Onc would come in to talk to me about that. My mind was racing now, how am I’m going to tell D, my family.

Then the Onc came me. First he said the CT scan was really good. The tumors on the liver are smaller and looking great. But the liver function numbers are not great. He said, I’m thinking the reason your liver function numbers are up is because you may have a plugged bile duct in and around your liver. And your coughing is likely because you have a swollen belly which is putting pressure on your lungs which already have fluid around your lungs and are making you cough.

So what is the plan … drain the fluid around the lungs, drain fluid from the abdomen and try and find a plugged bile duct and then unplug it.

In the end, I walked out not having much solid information except that tomorrow morning at 8:00am I have to be at the clinic for one of these procedures.