OK, here is the news that breaks my heart to tell anyone that cares.
"Agressive Cholangiocarcinoma"
In other words, cancer of the bile ducts. Despite this seemingly coming out of nowhere, it's actually right on time. I was diagnosed with Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis in 2008 or 2009. It is a degenerative liver disease of the bile ducts with no known or approved treatment other than a liver transplant when it reaches stage 4. Increased risk of this type of cancer goes without saying. The disease progression timeline is 5-10 years for onset of symptoms, and around 10 years is when shit tends to get real troublesome. There was also some cirrhosis noted in the background of this biopsy which is a definite progression from 'fibrosis' noted in in my last MRI two years ago.
They want me to start chemo the day after christmas. I've always had a bad feeling about chemo, like it would kill me before the cancer. I really need to dedicate the very little amount of energy to researching this cancer types, options, numbers, stats, success rates as much as I can find, and alternative therapies (a friend recommended
Cancer Tutor for alternative therapies)
The most notable icky symptom of the last week has recurrent fevers at night, guessing 100 to 102+ degrees which was the range atthe hospital, followed by comically extreme sweating, like waking up needing to change my clothes, sheet and pillow case because I had soaked through every layer of it. I remember sweat dripping into my ear from my drenched hair.
shivvers
So anyway, before any of y'all start playing the game 'which of the 100 research chemicals, plants and other drugs broke the liver of this lab rat', keep note this pre-existing condition (which itself is directly linked to a another pre-existing condition, Ulcerative Colitis diagnosed in 1991, which led to complete removal of colon in 1998) it is neigh impossible to guess. I'm not trying to release myself of any accountability, I don't think there was anything I could have done to prevent this. Maybe slow it down, but there isn't a good idea how exactly to do that....except for the only recently promising treatment in the pipeline, FECAL TRANSPLANT! (link to good video on the subject
If I had to guess anything that may have accelerated or aggravating the underlying condition I would pint at kratom because that was the only thing I had been taking with any regularity when I first felt the liver pain a couple months ago.
Meanwhile, slight change of subject, Shroomy you are slipping hard bro. All those blessing coming at you such as your rekindled passion for the Yoni, are at risk of falling by the wayside. I went one day without any pain meds yesterday- I slipped in my own way by doubling my dose a few times, stupidly in retrospect because not only did my pain return in all of its wicked 11/10 potency, I had to deal with withdrawal symptoms the prevented me from moving for 24 hours.
This should be more than an adequate update. Approaching a ramble. Might be awhile before I get to the nextpsot. To end with some good news, my parents are flying in from the east coast tonight to help my sorry ass get to doctor appts (6 in the next 7 days) and make sure I'm eating. I've been nauseous a lot, little appetite and everything tastes different in a not good way! Today I met with nutritionist about these issues. I mentioned CBD oil has been my MVP since the hospital, but curiously didn't help appetite or nausea. She confirmed to me that THC is what does that part. OK, THC it is!
