Introduction

Darla...a big, warm, welcome to our site; I am glad that you have found us. 
Darla, liver transplantations for this disease are performed at numerous centers throughout the U.S. and several of our members have undergone this procedure with success. 
This particular link may be of interest to you:
http://www.scivee.tv/node/52505

and this:
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb … 480#p65480

and this:
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb … 642#p64642

Also, I am quite sure that our Cathy will be around real soon and share her remarkeable story with you. 

Again, I am thrilled that you have found us. 

Hugs,
Marion

Thank you so much for the beautiful notes of encouragement.  I feel very thankful that I have found all of you and I am happy to share the complete story with you.

I am 48 years old and I was just diagnosed with cc.  The chemotherapy that I am taking right  now is in a series of 3 weeks. Week one-cysplatin with gemzar ( 6 hours) and week two- gemzar ( one hour). Week three- rest week and then start over again.  The first week is very rough. They give you the miracle nausea drug by iv called emend when they give the infusion, and the steroid dexamethasone to spread it out over the next three days.  Unfortunatley, cysplatin is very similar to adriamyacin which caused me to get very sick. ( I am a three year Breast Cancer Survivor and this is my second cancer in a lifetime..:( )  My Oncologist prescribed Emend to be taken by pill form for the next two days after treatment and that has made the first week of the series bareable.

Cathy, the only reason that I know of the Barnes Jewish hospital in St. Louis is because of a very good friend of mine who introduced me to your story and the success rate at the hospital.  At this moment we have only faxed about 50 pages of medical history to the Hospital and am waiting to hear back from them on whether or not I qualify for a Liver Transplant.

Can you tell me what criteria I need to meet to qualify for the liver transplant list?  My tumor is right inside my liver where my gall bladder attatches to my liver. My Oncologist told me that the cancer is inoperable.  I also have three small lesions in my liver besides the big tumor.  I was told that the only cure for me is liver transplant.  After reading many posts plus the wonderful pages that were recomended I see there are many different types of treatments to explore.

Please pray for me as I am going to get a cat scan with contrast dye on Thursday 10/11/12 to see if the chemotherapy is working properly or not.  I am praying for at least a stunt in the growth if not some shrinkage at this point.

Thank you all again for your time and for your compassion!! I am so happy that I have met you all!! 

God Bless,

Darla

Hi,
I will pray for you for good response to the chemotherapy treatment.
God bless.

Darla,

I hope you get good scan results. I know this can be such a nervewracking time. Also, I would like to welcome you to this site. I hope to talk with you more in the future. All the best.

-Pam

Dear Lainy,Marion,Cathy,moderators,Wilow,Pam and Darla,

Your notes of encouragement and love have meant so much to me since joining the website and I am here to thank each and everyone of you for your thoughts and prayers.
I got some pretty remarkable great news yesterday at my oncology appt.  All my tumors have shrunk. The largest 1/2cm but some of the smaller tumors shrunk 1/2 their size and some shrunk a full 8/10 of a cm  There is  no lmypnode involment so the cancer has not metasicize.  Praise be to God the Almighty for the beginning of my miracle taking place after only two chemo series.  The Dr. was very surprised too - she was hoping for sabilization and no growth, and it has stabilized and shrunk too.

We are going to continue with the cysplatin and gemzar chemo's until I go  to UoM Ann Arbor to see a surgeon and oncollogy staff who would bring my case in front of the tumor board.  I am ecited and can't wait to hit the next land mark.  It make suffering through this chemo worth it knowing that it is all just part of the miracle unfolding!!!! God is sooo Good

God Bless you all,
Darla

Lainy,

I don't have an appointment yet for U of M but my onlcogist is setting it up for me.  I am hoping soon, since my father only lives 45 min from Ann Arbor, and I would just stay with him.

I will keep you posted and let you know as soon as I find out!!! I hope you are having a fantastic weekend!!!!

Love,

Darla

Hi Darla,

I am happy to hear you are going to go to U of M for your care. My daughter, Lauren goes there for her care and is very pleased. Please let us know who you will be seeing and what days you will go. We go every 3 weeks and always on a Wed. Lauren's oncologist is Dr. Mark Zalupski and her surgeon is Dr. Chris Sonnenday. Maybe we will see you there sometime. We always love to meet others with CC because there aren't many to be found. Actually, I wish nobody could be found with CC and it didn't exist, but since it does, it would be nice to meet you. We are from Ohio but my oldest daughter and her husband live in Ypsilanti and work at U of M Hospital. So we have a place to stay when we are up there. I wish you all the best and if you have any questions about U of M feel free to ask. I would love to help. Oh, and congratulations on a great scan!!

-Pam