March 19th, 2021. I was drinking my morning coffee, just about to get ready for work when I got this sharp pain on my right side. It went up my side, to my arm, my shoulder, and my neck. It was so sharp I couldn’t catch my breath. I woke up my wife and told her I had to go to the ER. I thought I was having a heart attack. Yes – it was the right side of my body – but I had always heard that women experience heart attacks differently than men. I even took a low dose aspirin thinking it might help. When I got to the hospital all the nurses were quite sure I had gallstones. So much so, that they performed a sonogram of my gallbladder. I will never forget what the nurse said to me. “Your gallbladder is clear, but what are these lesions on your liver?”. I’m sorry – what did you just say!?! I have lesions on my liver?! I was ordered to get a CT scan. My results came back. Three lesions and swollen lymph nodes. It was like the nurse spoke to me in the Charlie Brown teacher voice. “This could be a sign of cancer. Get a gastro specialist and get a biopsy – quickly.” I was too shocked to cry. I went home from the ER – wondering if I had cancer.
Fast forward a few days and I get a biopsy. It was now March 25th. My phone rang. “Yeah, Miss. Smyth, it’s definitely cancer but it didn’t originate in your liver. Funny thing is, we have no idea where it originated. So – you might want to get a Pet Scan.” I was terrified. How is that funny? I was angry but so scared – I just hung up the phone without saying a word. It’s confirmed – I have cancer.
All of my family and friend advised me to get another opinion. I mean after all; how can you NOT know where the cancer originated? I should find someone who does know. Ultimately, I had three opinions. One hospital didn’t know where my cancer was from, one knew and told me that with treatment I would have “a good 8-11 months”, and one actually took their time to talk to me. They knew what type of cancer I had – Cholangiocarcinoma – bile duct cancer. They were positive that it could be treated and one day I would be in remission.
Since then, I have had several types of treatment: chemo, Y90, immunotherapy and I am just about to undergo proton radiation. I feel good and my liver tumors are stable. You learn quickly with this aggressive type of cancer that “stable” is very positive.
I am not just living. I am not just a cancer survivor – I am a “thriver”!!!! I learned that word from Olivia Newton-John and I love it. I am getting that as my personalized license plate. I am not just sitting back waiting for cancer to take me – I am living my life to the fullest.
I also am giving back – trying to help others who also suffer with Cholangiocarcinoma. I worked events for 24 years. I am about to become a Jeep Wrangler owner. I am putting all three of these together and creating an event called “Crush Cholangio Jeep Jam & Festival”. It happens in June of 2023, but I am getting all of my I’s dotted and T’s crossed, now. This will be a Jeep Show & Shine along with a festival for those that are not Jeep owners. You can find all the details here:
My hope is raise $15,000 and have the event be so successful that it becomes an annual occurrence. But first – baby steps.
Just like dealing with cancer – baby steps. One day at a time. Follow your doctor’s advice and try to maintain a positive attitude. Don’t let cancer win. Be a “thriver.”