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my father was diagnosed with an operable klatskin tumor this week. He lives in Columbus Ohio area and does not want to leave the area at this point for surgery or treatment. I have made him an apointment to see a surgical oncologist next Monday at osu but would love to talk to someone who has gone there for treatment.
Dear Smferlita, welcome to our remarkable family but sorry you had to find us. I just know you will hear from some of our wonderful Ohioans, I can't answer your question like they could. You do want to make sure that whom ever you use has a lot of experience with CC. You have come to the right place and please keep us posted on your father, we all truly care.
Hello Smferlita,
My father lives in Ohio and has CC. He is being treated in Columbus at the James Cancer Center. His primary Dr. Is Ellison. My dad was diagnosed in September and is not able to have surgery due to involvement of the portal vein' arteries and blood vessels. Has your dad found a Dr? Did he decide to stay in the Columbus area?
Rena
Hi,
OSU is one of the sites that you can get clinical trials for cholangiocarcinoma,my sis-in-law did not have the chance for surgery, therefore she was in care of Dr. Saab,a medical oncologist. I think they are eager to do clinical trials so much so that at times,they just prefer not to given a chance for the traditional chemotherapy first and jump the gun. That is my experience with the James cancer center. Of course, I am not a doctor and what do I know about drugs! I am just a stupid patient as well as a caretaker for my sis- in - law . She died within 14 months of the extra hepatic CCA.
GOD BLESS.
Percy,
You and your sis in law both had CC? What are the odds that you AND your sister in law had CC? I am so happy you are doing well though so sorry your sis in law did not fare well.
I can't comment on the hospitals in Ohio, sorry.
Smferlita....I like to follow the others and welcome you to our site. Your Dad is fortunate to have the opportunity for surgery, congratulations.
That he does not want to travel far is understandable. It is my personal opinion though, that the experience of the surgeon operating should take precedence over the inconvenience of not being near his home. Mainly one would want to know how many surgeries of this kind a surgeon has performed.
I am enclosing a link established by our members. It is lengthy, but there is a possibility for your Dad’s surgeon to be on the list or someone else with good credentials.
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb … hp?id=3126
Please, keep us posted. We care.
Hugs,
Marion
Hi,
Yes, we both had CCA. The big difference was I got diagnosis at a much earlier stage with no symptoms ( tiredness may be , but if you work all day long at work and do house chores like lawn mowing and do maintenance of the house after work) how Do you distinguish that tiredness is related to your work or the disease you have inside. I was diagnosed in stage IIb when CAT SCAN shown I had CCA of 6x8 cm in size). However, in contrary , she discovered her extra hepatic CCA when she noticed her dark brown color of the urine and the clay color stool,jaundice too. At that time she was already at stage IV with mets to the omentum, that is why I am in a unique position of being a patient and a caregiver. I know both sizes of the good and the ugly of this disease.( I advised her and her husband from day 1 till her final day on earth. She was a good Christian,she did not blame anyone, she had no pain most of the time, and she understand God' way was the best way for her. Hundreds of her church friends visited her during the final days. When my daughter prayed and thank her for everything she did for her, my sis-in-law was to weak to talk, but a couple tears drops running down in her closed left eye to let my daughter know that she was moved by her prayer and understood her good heart effort was not in vain. Two days later,she passed away at hospice with a smile on her face according to her husband.)
Iam not saying I am the only one to know about this disease in such an unique way, but I know I need to do more for conquering this physical and emotional depending disease.
God bless
Hi Smferlita,
I wanted to welcome you to this site and tell you I am sorry your Dad has CC. My daughter is the one with CC. We are from Ohio, near Akron and Canton. I'm sorry I can't tell you anything about the Columbus area hospitals. We travel to Michigan and my daughter is treated at University of Michigan Hospital. We mainly go there because my daughter and son-in law both work there and feel the care for people with cancer is top notch and we couldn't agree more. I know you said your Dad doesn't want to travel, but if he changes his mind I would be more than happy to give you the name of a wonderful liver surgeon that would be more than willing to take a look at your Dad's scans. I hope whatever your Dad decides, he has a successful surgery and overcomes this cancer. Please keep us updated. We are all here for you.
-Pam
Thank you all for your insight. My dad did have the surgery on Halloween day. It took 8 and 1/2 hours. He came home about ten days later and was doing good until thanksgiving when he started to have right sided abdominal pain. Finally a week later he went to the er with fever and chills. He was admitted back to the James where they diagnosed him with an infected biloma. This is where it gets strange to me. They kept him for 4 days only, saying insurance was an issue which I am having a hard time believing. The night before he was discharged his surgical oncologist ( Dr. Schmidt) told him he was half way to figuring out what went wrong. Then with no further explanation he was discharged the next morning with prescriptions for two oral antibiotics and home health to assist in irrigating the drain. That was last Wednesday. This evening he was admitted again to the James as he went to his first appointment today to see Dr Saab ( medical oncologist) and developed fever and chills again during the appointment. Needless to say I am concerned and frustrated. I do not know what advise you all can give me but it is reassuring to read other patients stories that had a tough go of it and have made it.
Dear Smferlita, Please reread PCL post above about the Hospital and Doctor. Chills and fever usually signify infection. I hope they did a blood culture. These infections are pretty common but if you know what kind of infection it is and should it occur again you can be ready to tell them what happened before and what the RX was. My husband had them frequently and then we knew from the first time to get him on Levaquin. Sending you good luck!
Smferlitav….I too am puzzled by the physician’s statement in regards to what went wrong. Well, what is it? Don’t be afraid to ask; you are entitled an explanation.
There is a good likelihood for the insurance company to cease payment for hospitalization after a certain period of time and that might very well be what the physician was talking about. Often times this can be circumvented by re-admitting the patient.
There is so much going on and so few explanations here. I would make a list of questions and request and appointment with the physician or, if possible speak with your Dad’s Primary Care Physician. Either way, don’t back down.
Please keep us posted and fingers are crossed for things to turn around for the better real soon.
Hugs,
Marion
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