All Clear For 4th Surgery

Last week I had an MRI of the liver area, to try to identify the smaller lesions.  This was not particularly successful, the MRI is only showing the main lesion.  The plan is to remove the right side of the liver and scan the rest with ultra-sound during surgery.  If the ultra-sound does pick up any anomalies they will be taken out, if possible.  I am cleared to have up to 70% of my liver removed.

While at the MRI clinic I got my CEA results from shortly after the lung resection. My  CEA was 2.4, which is just within the normal range of 0-2.5.  Before chemo my CEA was 7.3.  Clearly the chemo has done a great job of reducing the cancer, but my normal is around 1.0 and with no further action now the CEA value would start climbing soon.

This morning I attended the pre-admission clinic ahead of my liver surgery on Friday afternoon.  It was quite a drawn out process, but very thorough.  During my time at the clinic I had:

• A very thorough evaluation by a nurse
• Much blood taken
• An electrocardiogram
• Another evaluation and discussion about the surgery with a surgical registrar
• Yet another evaluation, discussion and consent signing by an anaesthetist
• A chest X-ray, to make sure my lung has recovered OK from the lung resection

I left the clinic with 2 sets of nutritional drinks to be taken over the next 3 days.  This should prepare my body for surgery and help recovery.

I check into the hospital at 11:00AM on Friday, apparently surgery will start about 1:00PM.  Assuming all goes well, there should be another update here next Monday or Tuesday, once I am out of hospital.