Christina - Cancer Center of Western Wisconsin

Christina and her husband had longed for a baby, but they struggled to get pregnant. So, when doctors discovered a benign tumor encapsulating Christina’s left ovary, she had her ovary and fallopian tube removed. “And two months later, I was pregnant!” Christina said, shaking her head. “It was crazy! At that point, we weren’t even trying.”

Christina had a relatively smooth pregnancy, but as she entered her final month, her hands became very itchy. She was tested for cholestasis, a condition that causes bile to build up in the liver. Driving home from her appointment, Christina’s doctor called and told her to come back. They wanted to deliver the baby. “I was still over 3 weeks out from my due date,” Christina said. “I wasn’t ready! I had a panic attack.”

After 48 hours of labor, Christina delivered a healthy baby girl by C-section.

The challenge of overlapping symptoms

When her baby was about six months old, Christina began to experience a strange sensation in her upper rib cage. “It was hard all the time, and it hurt to lay on my stomach,” Christina said. “I was also exhausted. But every new mom is tired. And sometimes a C-section can cause your abs to get locked up.”

Then the physical discomfort started to move lower in her abdomen. Her doctor suggested massage and exercises, but nothing helped. “Being an elementary school counselor is an active job,” Christina said. “But walking the halls became an issue. My back pain ramped up. I couldn’t stand for very long.”

When Christina began suffering from significant bloating, she met with her doctor, who suggested pelvic health physical therapy to see if her symptoms were still related to her C-section. “I knew something was not right. When I went back to pelvic health, the therapist thought I should go to the ER.”

Christina had a CT scan and about 15 minutes later, the doctor came in. “She was crying,” Christina said. “She told me I have a large cancerous tumor in my liver and lesions on my liver and lungs. She said, ‘This is going to be hard, but we will figure it out.’”

Active in the waiting

Finding her primary source of Christina’s cancer would prove challenging and she was referred to the Cancer Center of Western Wisconsin (CCWW) in Osceola.

At the Osceola clinic, and with genetic testing, Christina was diagnosed with stage four cholangiocarcinoma. “It’s a bile duct cancer, which is within the liver,” Christina said. “It’s a very rare, aggressive cancer. I have the genetic mutation for it.”

Because this type of cancer typically affects the elderly, Christina’s diagnosis garnered the attention of those working in cancer research. “I’m part of two research studies,” she said. “I might have a better prognosis because I have the strength to fight it. My husband and I are waiting for a miracle.”

Nothing less than the best care

Christina says anyone with a stage four diagnosis would actively seek out the best possible oncology care. “I’m getting it in my hometown, at CCWW in Osceola,” she said.

“I truly have never felt more supported in my life,” Christina said. “The doctors have been incredible, and I consider the nurses my friends. I trust that my Osceola care team has my best interest in mind. It’s been so helpful to have this network around me.”

Christina and her husband are also grateful for their daughter. “She’s a light,” Christina said, smiling. “To have this joy and distraction is huge.”

“Modern medicine says this is incurable, but we are going to live our lives with hope.”