3/10 - Good Report, Improvement is "Remarkable"

Jane, Rae, and I went to see the hepetologist at the Baylor College of Medicine where I was initially evaluated for a liver transplant.  I had made the appointment with intent to see Dr. Stribling but Dr. Jalal saw us instead.  This is OK as Dr. Jalal is on the same team and we have history from a previous hospital visit. Additionally, Dr. Jalal remembered my case and knows Dr. Kaseb.  

I briefed Dr. Jalal on the events that had happened between the last time I was seen at BCM and provided him with blood work from the Tuesday ER visit and my MD Anderson visit in Jan.   I also provided the scan report from Jan which states that the lesions were dying and shrinking and the thrombosis/lesion was retracting from my heart. 

I set a mark at the opening of our conversation that I was hopeful if we had the cancer in remission, would I then I could be considered a candidate for a transplant.   Dr. Jalal's stated again why they do not transplant metastatic cancer (cancer that has in more than one organ for which the IVC invasion was counted).  However he did follow by saying that the dramatic retraction of the invasion in the IVC was not following the signature of a lesion and maybe it is just a thrombosis.  This would mean the cancer is not metastatic and I might be a liver transplant candidate.  In addition he said that I looked well, my blood work was good, and that my progress was "remarkable".

Dr. Jalal did not have a ready explanation for the cramping that spawned my ER visit on Tuesday.  He suspected that this might be the NEXAVAR (chemo pill I take twice a day) or more likely dehydration influenced by the Lasik.  I will be interested in Dr. Kaseb's explanation.

My neighbor who is a 12 year liver recipient said he had similar cramping symptoms.  Said in his whole ordeal that the cramps was the most painful thing he experienced.

So we made a plan for me to share my scans from my upcoming MD Anderson visit on March 18th with BCM to compare to their initial scans and to see them a month.  

In whole, I am feeling as good as I have in 7 months, I am gaining weight, am getting stronger, and I am getting my hair and color back.  Praise be to God.