Al Carey
March, 2000, my wife developed symptoms of diarrhea, vomitting, stomach and back pain. At first we thought she had a touch of the flu but the vomitting became severe withlarge volumes of green bile even though she wasn't eating. The Doctors performed blood tests, endoscopy, colonoscopy, catscans and finally exploratory surgery. There were tumors surrounding the duodenum and colon that closed off her digestive system so that nothing would pass through. They did bypasses around the tumors which opened them up for a while and she went on chemotherapy. Gemcitobene, taxotere, then cisplatin with 5-fu, next was oral xeloda which she had a reaction and was switched to doxil, also she couldn't tolerate. The last chemo drug was vp-16(etopiside or vespid) Now they say that the chemos have run there course and she is on nothing. Her vomitting started up again a few weeks ago and a stent was inserted in the outlet of the stomach where the tumor had again closed off her digestive tract. She feels pretty well and she can now eat almost normally but she has signed up for home hospice. Now I'm on the watch for any experimental drugs to offer some help. I have heard of a cancer vaccine that may offer some help but I don't know the availability yet. Don't feel guilty, I'm sure that if the Doctors with all of their resources, can't come up with anything, what chance would we have? Prayers are with you, Al Carey