This week I had my quarterly check-up. Same tests as before … liver CT scan, chest x-ray, blood tests. Results all came back good … same as before … no new masses found or evidence of recurrent/metastatic cancer. They’re recommending my next check-up in 4-5 months.
The doctors said with my type of liver cancer that two years of being cancer free is a “milestone” event. Typically my cancer has a higher probability of coming back during that time. After two years the chances continue to decrease. It’s now been 16 months so I’m almost there!
I also had a funny episode with the radiologist/technician who was taking my CT scan. A normal liver lies primarily on one’s right side, sort of below the right rib-cage area. During the initial scans the tech asked me rather seriously if I knew my liver was “on the wrong side of my body” (her words).
I told her well yes I did! The reason being after my liver resection in May 2004, they cut out 75% of the right part of my liver (i.e. where the tumor had been). Since the liver can regenerate, mine “grew” towards the opposite side. Mine is fully grown but now sits on the left side of my body, and my other body parts (intestines) shifted to where my liver had been.
My doctors previously told me this happens sometime after a liver resection and is not a concern. Everything works like it should as long as all the parts are connected up right. The tech wasn’t aware of my surgery so when I told her she was relieved and we all had a good laugh!!
