UFW Photographer George E. Ballis Fights Cancer

George Elfie Ballis has been dealing with jaundice from a blocked liver and gall bladder from pancreatic cancer the past month and a half and may not live much longer.

MAIA’s REQUEST

Please do not call here to ask questions, express love or sympathy as we need to focus on caring for George. E-mails are preferable.
If you are in the Bay Area, please let us know if you are available to help Maia get back and forth from Oakland (Montclair district) at her sister’s home to the Veteran’s Hospital in SF in the AM and home in the PM Mon. and Tues. Oakland phone: 510-339-3587

For those of you who want more details:

He just learned his prostate cancer was in remission in early September. A few weeks later he had severe jaundice. We thought is was a stone, but it was cancer. Things are happening quickly. They tried in Fresno VA unsuccessfully then successfully at SF Veteran’s Hospital to place a tube (stent)t in his common bile duct,
He has lost weight and is a lovely fluorescent yellow. He is feeling weak, tired and disoriented from liver toxicity. He is not in pain, but his skin itches badly and that keeps him awake at night. Yesterday he was very lucid and stronger than he has been since his release from San Francisco VA a week ago. We had some concerns about his platelet count being very low.

History:

The Fresno VA found and tried an endoscope-down-the-throat procedure to remove a blockage that they suspected was cancer in the pancreas blocking his common bile duct; but sent him to SF VA the following week for their superior equipment.
I took him to the San Francisco VA Emergency when his symptoms got worse. He had a procedure there the next day where the docs placed a tube through his blocked common bile duct (for gall bladder and liver) to open it to his intestine. His CT scan showed he still has large deposits of bilirubin in his liver, but it had a place to exit for 2 days. When he was released 4 days late, we got a flat driving home on I5. We ended up having the tow truck drive us home. The 5 hour trip lasted 8 ½ hours and we got home in the dark. He was feeling badly 2 days after they placed the stent and his bilirubin count went down 1 point from 31 to 30. This week bilirubin was up to 36. Normal is 1, so it indicates the duct Is clogged again for some reason - either the bilirubin is very dirty, or the stent got pressed by pancreatic cancer. So his continued liver toxicity is causing brain fog, disorientation and weakness.

During the MRI diagnostics, they found a mass in his pancreas and a small mass in his liver. We just got a PET scan (will pinpoint all his cancer) but do not have the results. We will then know if has spread to his liver.

We leave for Oakland today, he is in SF VA tomorrow AM and the procedure to place a stronger metal stent is Mon., which will allow his bilirubin levels to go down if it works. That may return his brain function and allow him a possible 3 months of life.

Smiling Seriously,

Maia Ballis for George Elfie Ballis
SunMt
559.855.3710
Box 314
Prather, CA 93651

Information from a Daniel del Solar email

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