Hello Everyone

[Guest guest]

Hi Everyone,

I am new in this group and another member ask me tell about myself.

Here we go. Before immigrating from South Africa 4 1/2 years ago to

the USA I was a happy go lucky woman. Never be sick except one time

a flu, full of energy and always on the go. I am married and have

two children 12 and 17. My world crumbled from one day to another

when I went to the ER on December 13.04 because my urin was too

dark. They kept me right away in the hospital because the blood test

showed an increase in my billirubin. Two days later in the hospital

I had full blown jaundice and tests after tests were done to find

out why. I had to go through ERCP, MRI, Cat scan, you named it, I've

done it. Then they told me that I had a mass on my pancreas which

could be cancer. No word about my liver problem. After one week they

released me from hospital and transferred me to a specialist, who

took very good care of me. He told me that I have to have an

exploritory operation with the chance of the Whipple procedure at

the Cleveland Clinic. So more tests were done, more ERCP's with

biopsy's etc. Everything turned out negativ. So here I go to

Cleveland Clinic, knowing myself that I don't have cancer unless

somebody proofes this to me a 100%. I was feeling much better,

Jaundice were gone, numbers were in the normal range and than this

Professor at Cleveland Clinic (one of the most rudest doctors) told

me that despite all the facts, that I have pancreatic cancer and my

OP is scheduled in February 2005. OK, I went through the OP and what

did they find, NOTHING!!!, they took the gallbladder and found out,

that I have PSC and chronic pancreatitis. In March 05 I got another

jaundice attack and landed up again in Cleveland Clinic. This time I

received 2 internal and 2 external stents, lots of Morphin after the

OP and painkillers. Now since than I am living with this wonderful

cables coming out of my body, a big long scar in the middle like a

cut open turkey but still full of humor. I am getting my stents

changed every 2 -3 months, which is painfull enough (although they

knock you out during procedure). My numbers are great at the moment

and my Hepatologist at Cleveland Clinic even cancelled the

evaluation for the list. I know that one day down the road I maybe

have to have the transplant if the liver doesn't accept the stents

anymore, but until than, I try very hard to keep myself going, even

there are days which are very hard on me. So that is so far my story

in the shortcut version. I am glad to find a group like this,

because I think this rare disease is not rare anymore and more and

more people should get aware of this kind of Liver Disease and what

kind of impact it has.

I wish everyone a great day and I'll stay in touch. J.