HAI Pump & Resection Post Surgery Update

Welp - I did it. I went through a massive surgery in early September to implant a Hepatic Artery Infusion pump inside my body. It's big - about the size of a hockey puck. It protrudes out from underneath my skin, like an alien spaceship. But, it also offers some hope. It allows chemo go be channeled directly to my liver, without 'passing GO' or collecting $200. With normal 'systemic' chemo, it goes into your blood stream and throughout your body. This is helpful to try to reach as many places as possible to control the disease from spreading. However, it's not enough to get rid of all of my liver tumors and colon tumor. Hence, the need for the HAI pump. I'm super lucky to be able to receive one. Not everyone can. During surgery the liver surgeon also removed two fist size sections from the left lobe of my liver. The hope is that the HAI pump will shrink the tumors on the other side of my liver, so the surgeon can remove those as well. Fingers crossed! The colon surgeon removed the original primary tumor from my colon as well. I'm so glad to have that dirty little demon gathering of cells, so it doesn't haunt me anymore. The surgeon also removed and tested some lymph nodes for cancer. A couple were positive. This may have implications for a future liver transplant, but we will see.

I couldn't be more grateful for my Mom, especially, caring for me during the surgery. And making all of these trips to Portland with me. It's been a lot. And for Ryan, organizing all of the myriad of medication I've had to be on. And for being my shoulder to cry on through it all. Not going to lie, it's been tough. At times excruciating pain. But, I think it's worth it, and I have hope it will help carry me through to the next best option to try to improve the disease.

Silly, my mid day meds look like this ;)