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Help Suzanne Aucoin
Update June 10, 2007
Good morning!!
I am so happy to write this latest update….. good news all around!!!
On Tuesday, my parents and I flew to North Carolina. The sirspheres procedure was
scheduled for Wednesday, June 6th at Wake Med in Raleigh. On Wed. morning I was
admitted and waited for my bloodwork to return. Finally at 11:00 a.m. I learned that
my bilirubin (which has been high ever since the bile duct stents were replaced and
infected) was 1.9. It had to be 2 in order for the procedure to be done. A miracle
occurred at the moment because I so desperately needed this procedure. I got in
under the radar.
The procedure took about an hour. There were two doctors who worked on me. Dr.
Kennedy wheeled in his wheelchair as he had broken his ankle the week before. He
inserted the sirspheres near the end of the procedure. The hope was to focus on
the entire liver, but due to the size of the major tumour in the lower right lobe, the
sirspheres were concentrated to that area.
Once in recovery, I was finally allowed to eat. Wow was I starving. I am happy to say
my appetite has returned. Later that day, apx. 4 hours after the procedure, I was
lying down in the hotel down for a nap. I immediately realized I was no longer
wheezing (the liver tumour was so big it was putting pressure on the diaphragm which
was putting pressure on the lung). I was so happy to breathe normally again. As well,
for the first 36 hours I didn’t have any pain nor nausea.
My parents and I decided to return home a day early since I was doing so well.
However, on travel day the pain kicked in and it was a tough journey home. I was told
to expect some pain as the procedure causes inflammation and tumour necrosis
(death). So I was not panicked about the pain just uncomfortable.
Yesterday, I became my own personal sauna. I was pain free but couldn’t stop
sweating. Again, this is a side effect. Not sure what today will bring but overall, I feel
much better than I did before the procedure and I expect things to only improve as
the sirspheres continue to do their magic.
If this week goes well, I start erbitux (yes the communication got straightened out) on
June 18th and folfiri on June 19th.
This week is rest and recovery with the family at the cottage in Muskoka. I am ready
for a chill out week.
Thank you to everyone for their thoughts, prayers and positive energy.
Suzanne Aucoin
Good morning!!
I am so happy to write this latest update….. good news all around!!!
On Tuesday, my parents and I flew to North Carolina. The sirspheres procedure was
scheduled for Wednesday, June 6th at Wake Med in Raleigh. On Wed. morning I was
admitted and waited for my bloodwork to return. Finally at 11:00 a.m. I learned that
my bilirubin (which has been high ever since the bile duct stents were replaced and
infected) was 1.9. It had to be 2 in order for the procedure to be done. A miracle
occurred at the moment because I so desperately needed this procedure. I got in
under the radar.
The procedure took about an hour. There were two doctors who worked on me. Dr.
Kennedy wheeled in his wheelchair as he had broken his ankle the week before. He
inserted the sirspheres near the end of the procedure. The hope was to focus on
the entire liver, but due to the size of the major tumour in the lower right lobe, the
sirspheres were concentrated to that area.
Once in recovery, I was finally allowed to eat. Wow was I starving. I am happy to say
my appetite has returned. Later that day, apx. 4 hours after the procedure, I was
lying down in the hotel down for a nap. I immediately realized I was no longer
wheezing (the liver tumour was so big it was putting pressure on the diaphragm which
was putting pressure on the lung). I was so happy to breathe normally again. As well,
for the first 36 hours I didn’t have any pain nor nausea.
My parents and I decided to return home a day early since I was doing so well.
However, on travel day the pain kicked in and it was a tough journey home. I was told
to expect some pain as the procedure causes inflammation and tumour necrosis
(death). So I was not panicked about the pain just uncomfortable.
Yesterday, I became my own personal sauna. I was pain free but couldn’t stop
sweating. Again, this is a side effect. Not sure what today will bring but overall, I feel
much better than I did before the procedure and I expect things to only improve as
the sirspheres continue to do their magic.
If this week goes well, I start erbitux (yes the communication got straightened out) on
June 18th and folfiri on June 19th.
This week is rest and recovery with the family at the cottage in Muskoka. I am ready
for a chill out week.
Thank you to everyone for their thoughts, prayers and positive energy.
Suzanne Aucoin