We will be using it to update everyone on Dennis's/dad's/Uncle Dennis's journey. Prayerfully his pathology will come back negative for cancer and this blog will be not be needed.
No matter the result of the pathology, Dennis has a positive attitude toward the future and says he is prepared to start the upstream swim to better health!
He and I solicits the prayers of each and everyone of you.
A quick recap for how we got to this point:
Dennis started having intense itching about a month ago and then he got jaundiced a couple of weeks later. (The whites of his eyes and his skin started turning yellow) We went to his primary care doctor, Dr Fallon, and she ordered blood work. She tested him for Hepatitis but that came back negative. The blood work showed his liver enzymes were elevated. She then ordered an ultra sound and referred him to Dr Meiselmen, who is a gastroenterologist. The ultra sound showed something outside of the gall bladder, but they weren't sure what it was.
A week later, Dr Fallon retested Dennis's bilirubin levels. They increased to a very high level and Dr Fallon had Dennis go to the ER. Dr Meiselman was notified, he sent Dennis home, but scheduled an ERCP(specialized endoscopy) 5 days later. That was performed on Tuesday, March 7th. During the procedure, 2 stents were placed in his liver to open up the blockage and allow the bilirubin to have a way of escape out of Dennis's body, through his digestive tract. (His itching is almost all gone as I write this post!) The exact location of the tumor wasn't clear with the endoscope.
Upcoming:
Next week, on Tuesday, March 14th, Dennis is scheduled for an MRI for the doctor's to see a more exact location of the tumor. Whether it's in the common bile duct or outside of it. The area that the tumor is, and the return of the pathology, will determine the treatment.
Once we get the results of the MRI and the pathology, he'll see a surgeon. Dr Meiselman and the surgeon will put their heads together and will come up with a plan of care. The surgeon that Dennis is being referred to is Dr Edwin Hayashi, who is highly regarded in this area. As Dr Fallon put it, Dennis is getting care from the A Team, referring to Meiselman and Hayashi!
That's it for now!
Much love,
Sharon and Dennis
Psalm 34.4 'I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.'
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