I’m likely to be away from the blog for a few days. Tomorrow I will have the first of three procedures towards killing the cancer that has grown and spread in my liver. During my absence American Bedu will have two trusted moderators looking out for the blog.
It’s been a busy time behind the scenes of American Bedu. I’ve had doctor’s appointments, been sent to specialists and also doing all kinds of research on the various options for attacking cancer which has spread to the liver.
I’m happy to say that after being examined and assessed by two specialists, I qualify for a procedure called SIR-Spheres. SIR-Spheres is still considered a relatively new treatment against liver cancer but thus far, it has had very good results. The doctor who is administering this treatment to me is confident that SIR-Spheres will kill 90 to 100 per cent of the cancer in my liver! That is literally like a new lease on life for me.
I am both excited and a little scared of the upcoming treatment. I’m scared just because it is new and unknown to me. I am excited because it offers such promising results.
I will make every effort to explain SIR-Spheres and the type of treatments I will be undergoing. In a nutshell, SIR-Spheres is the placement of radioactive particles directly in to my liver. The SIR-Spheres will gravitate to and attach to the various cancer cells that are in the liver and ultimately kill them. 
The doctor who will be performing the procedure on me advises, “SIR-Spheres microspheres is a powerful weapon against one of the
deadliest forms of cancer,” said Dr. Eric A. Wang, Chief of Vascular &
Interventional Specialists at Charlotte Radiology. “SIR-Spheres
microspheres are proven to extend patients’ lives and, just as
importantly, allow patients to maintain a good quality of life.”
SIR-Spheres is a three procedure process. The first process, which I will have tomorrow is called mapping (and testing). A catheter is insert via the femoral artery and routed directly in to the liver. Once in place, die will be released into the catheter so that the physician can map where the die travels. He will then clamp off any blood vessels where the die is able to travel outside of the liver. This is done in order to protect other areas/organs of the body from being damaged by any escaped radioactive particles. A small number of SIR-spheres will also be deposited in to the liver.
If all goes as expected without any reactions or complications, then two weeks later I will have the second process. The second (and third) process is the distribution (via catheter again) of the SIR-Spheres into the liver.
This process can cause some pain and discomfort in addition to possible nausea. Thankfully I have some dear family and friends who will stay with me for a few days after I’ve been released from the hospital. I will not be able to lift much, strain, or stand too long during the recovery period from the procedure. For the first few days I also have to limit my exposure to young children or pets as a precaution due to the radiation inside of my body. My cats will be going on an 
“extended overnight stay” with a cat loving friend.
I will be back on the blog between procedures when I feel strong enough. In the interim I am trying to write posts in advance so my absence will not be felt.
In the meantime, keep your comments and queries coming. In addition to the blog, I can always be reached directly via email at [email protected]
Mother Hen Warrior Bedu
Filed under: breast cancer, cancer, Health, pets, Saudi Arabia, Saudi blogs | Tagged: cancer, cats, Saudi Arabia | 28 Comments »
