Compassionate Care For Bile Duct Cancer (Cholangiocarcinoma)
奥丑别苍听Jennifer Wasser of Hoboken, NJ,听gave birth to her son nine weeks early via Caesarean section in October 2019, doctors attributed the early birth听to hypertension听(high blood听p谤别蝉蝉耻谤别)听and elevated liver enzymes that appeared late in the pregnancy.听听
But even after she听visited a general practitioner in early January 2020 for a physical and a follow up to the hypertension, Jennifer鈥檚 physician discovered听that听her听liver enzymes were听even more听elevated, likely never having normalized following听her听son鈥檚 birth.听听
鈥淎fter a few weeks of subsequent testing and persistence on the part of my gastroenterologist, I was connected with Dr.听Reem听Sharaiha听at Weill Cornell in the hopes that she would shed light on my mystery liver issue,鈥 Jennifer recalls.听听
It was only a听week听later that听Dr.听Sharaiha听performed a听procedure听that identified the tumor in听Jennifer鈥檚听bile duct. And then she received her diagnosis鈥攃holangiocarcinoma鈥攆rom听Dr听Sharaiha听and听Karim听Halazun,听MD,听assistant听attending听surgeon, 鈥疦ewYork-Presbyterian Hospital,听and听associate听professor of听surgery,听Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University.听听听
鈥There are not enough words to adequately describe the tenderness with which all of the essential information was shared with my husband and me,鈥 Jennifer says.听鈥We were three months into parenthood,听and the thought of our son not having his mother raise him was unfathomable鈥.They听greeted our shock and panic with the greatest sense of calm and assurance.鈥鈥听
Jennifer鈥檚听liver resection/gallbladder removal surgery took place eight days after听her听diagnosis.听听
鈥淒r.听Halazun听was patient, thorough and confident while ensuring that we understood what I was embarking on in the days leading up to and the actual day of my surgery,鈥 Jennifer remembers.听鈥淚 was taken care of by what I can only describe as healthcare angels. Every person was sincerely empathetic and kind.鈥澨听
The best news came four days after surgery, Jennifer听says,听when听she and her husband听learned that听her听margins and lymph nodes were clear听of cancer,听and that the plan for adjuvant chemotherapy would take effect six weeks later.鈥听
Jennifer adds, 鈥We often reflect at home on our gratitude and my good fortune to have been at this hospital, under the care of Dr.听Halazun听and his amazing team. I am now in my second-to-last round of chemo鈥.We听are hopeful and confident that I have many healthy years ahead.鈥听