Greg, that is great news. Very happy for you and yours. :thumbsup:

If you don't mind, does this accurately describe the procedure?

http://www.medicinenet.com/ercp/arti...ercp_procedure

Great news Greg.Stay Well!

Well of course they did Greg. And as much as they declared you cancer free, you should declare it as well. Say it every day!
Super happy for you and the family!

Thanks T.C. !! Was great news for sure! People don't understand cancer -- it weighs on you daily... is it "back" -- is it still there.... will it move to somewhere else etc.






Yes that is the general description. In my personal case I'm knocked out completely -- the procedure is about 3 hours long - various operations need to take place depending on what they find. This time I had a "stone" removed - they used a wire to poke around - they used balloons - they took pictures - they did biopsies... so a complicated series of procedures.

My personal problem going forward is simply the stents. They are not to be in there on a permanent basis. Normally the patient is deceased before they'd become a problem. In my case - I'm still bouncing around (and off the walls) - so am left with an abnormal situation in which we're all guessing what will be the long term prognosis. The stents are perforated --- which then is an irritant -- and a place for which tissue is trying to grow in to (plugging them) - and they cross the right bile duct tree at its intersection of the left going into the main bile duct -- plugging off that entire right side. All of this slows the flow of bile - causing it to "sludge" and causes stones to form that otherwise wouldn't. It will be a lifetime of dealing with the net results.

This was the first "6 month" view (originally they thought I'd need this every 3 months) -- now we'll try 4 months this next time. If I get a stone that is too large to remove -- I'm toast. So we'll try to avoid that!!

By the way ----- so much for Obamacare -- laughing at this thought --- our insurance is up about double what it was before O'care.... and my out of pocket cost per procedure is about 18 grand. What would normal folks do!?!?!?!?!







Thanks buddy! I'm trying!!

We discussed "diet" -- sadly -- that is not an issue. According to the surgeons -- there is not a single thing I can do to alter this issue.








I can tell when I'm feeling fine. I have not felt well this last month. Fatigue and itchy skin - and balance seems to go away. Given how hard I work out -- this is an issue for me. Driving track cars is also an issue. I need to be 110% to keep ahead of Rob!! I noticed the fatigue at Sonoma and Thunderhill. The heat and the effort was A LOT. But I'm 100% cancer free and will stay that way!

My heart goes out the the "normal folks". Who aren't in a $ituation $uch as yours Greg . These times I'm thankful for being Canadian. Glad to see you're still kicking ass .

I'm guessing they didn't do a mental evaluation.

Glad to hear the good news, Greg!

NO KIDDING!! Except in your system they might just say -- oh well -- so sorry.... IDK. I've heard that in England if you have prostate cancer and you're 65+ they just say that! I don't know if that really is fact.







No! They did!! They did a colonoscopy - didn't I send you the pictures they took?? They say "everybody has a twin" -- and damned if they didn't find yours!!







Thanks Trey! It truly is great news! You worry about this stuff every dang day.Now I can cut my worry to about 1% and go to just "be vigilant".

..........

:thumbsup: