iowagirl
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Todd, Wow…..the power of the 2nd opinion strikes again. Kudos to you for realizing that there may be more answers and push to find someone who would also push to give them to you. Your posting may help someone, someday, who is in the midst of testing to seek another opinion. While pancreatic cancer is no walk in the park, it sounds like you have found an onc who is ready to be aggressive and try for the best outcome. When I went to Mayo, there was some discussion for about 30 seconds…..about doing chemo first because there was some success with shrinking the tumor first if chemo worked, but I was there and they were ready to operate and scheduled me for the next noon…not even 24 hours later. My best to you and hope to hear from you again here.
Fantastic news….thank you so much for sharing the results of your liver growth measurements. I’m sure that will be of help to someone else here in the future. After my resection (left liver lobe), the right lobe regrew, but slowly (IMO), but apparently it was pretty much on track for such things. I really didn’t know what to expect. This is such great news…and I’m hoping that things continue to go positively for you. WhooHoooooooo!
Julie T.
Duke…you are so right. It’s true for everyone…patient…family…friends alike. I had driven past one of the local big cancer/chemo centers here in town hundreds of times…but never paid any attention to it. The first time past it after I left the GP’s office that first time….it suddenly hit me. Then, going to Mayo….and into the oncology section….it all just “hits home”. As for our son, now 35, he’s always been an old man in a young body.
He didn’t talk much about everything, but he mainly just wanted to know that I was “okay”. Right after the first chemo….I was at thier house….and feeling crappy , he came over, put his arm around me…and told me that I was tougher than the cancer…..that he knew I could “do this.” My DIL took the opportunity to be “the one” to do for me instead of the other way around. Our kids will surprise us with their maturity and even growth if we let them. We didn’t even really shield our 3 year old grandson completely from what was going on. He knew I was in a big hospital a long way away and I was sick with an owie…but that the doctors were going to take out the owie and make me better. His big question was, “Are you in the hospital? “….or….”Are you at your home?” I think in his mind, as long as I was in the hospital, I was sick….and if I was home, I was better. When I had to go back to the hospital because of blood clots…and another time for transfusions….he again asked the same question. Just this week, when I face-timed with him on the i-pad, he asked if I was “at your home?” So, he still has some questions about me being healthy. I think the thing is to not give too much into to younger kids…..and with teenagers…..I think most are old enough to workk through any problems they have with this. At our local oncology center, they have a group for kids of parents with cancer…sibblings with cancer….really anyone close to them with cancer….to help them work through their feelings if necessary. It’s sort of a group therapy idea….but informal. Julie T.Dang it, Kris. This is not what I wanted to hear (nor you and Mark, I know). I just can hardly believe that the tumors grew that fast since Mark’s last scan. So, if I understand right, it is adenocarcinoma , but they have not 100% identified it yet as CC….it’s just that it makes the most sense. Right? Well, I’m still holding out for now that it’s a different and more treatable cancer. I’m glad to hear that you’re considering doing genetic testing on the tumor….because they might lead to a trial that could be of help. I will hang my hat on that for now and hope for the best. Big hugs, Kris…and tell Mark we are all thinking of him and sending prayers.
Julie T.
Aiste, I was going to tell you that I had a slight fever after I got home from the hospital surgery. It lasted for about a week and a half to two week (was in the hospital 3 days after liver resection). The doctors weren’t concerned about it unless it got over 100 degrees F. It was considred a body reaction to the surgery…not an infection. It gradually just disappeared. If your dad’s is gone already, he is doing well.
Julie T.
Ah Lainy…thanks. That one just slipped from my lips….an original…unless, of course, there’s something similar out there I heard and just don’t remember. Yup….I think it’s a Julie original.
One of my more waxing poetic moments. LOLJulie T.
Dennis…thanks…hang on my coat tails…it could be a wild ride, but if we spread our wings we can soar!!! Julie T.
I agree with Lainy on this one….leftovers are good….and that is what we are going to pray for. Hugs…Julie
Aiste,
My experience with surgery recovery was that I was up and walking on the morning after my surgery (surgery started on Friday at 1 p.m. the day before and I wasn’t in my room until well into the evening…about 9-10 p.m.). I was dismissed on day 3 following surgery on MOnday. We had a long, 3 hour drive home and I was VERY sore by the time we got home as my pain meds wore off part way on the trip. So, I would suggest making sure that pain meds are timed to be taken slightly before leaving the hospital, no matter how long the trip is back home. I was sore and had difficulty rising from a seated position for about a week and a half and made use of a walker to help me get around easier and a little bag attached to the walker kept my cell phone and i-pad, tissues, paper and pen with me at all times. Several people offered help of food, which we gladly accepted. I did have the main incision and several of the port incisions (the surgery was done laproscopically) not completely heal closed before the stitches dissolved. That required a month and a half at least of daily cleaning and packing incisions with a special packing that has silver in it to kill off bacteria and speed healing. A wound nurse specialist helped us with getting started with that and then my husband did the cleaning and bandaging every day It was a nuisance, but did eventually heal from the inside out . Hope that helps.
AnnS,
Thank you so much for posting this wonderful news about your husband’s participation in the trial and his apparent miraculous results. I’m so thrilled to hear that you didn’t take “no” for an answer and chose to fight this beast together and you did an excellent job of choosing that one doctor who went with what you wanted and you were able to get into the trial. It sounds soooo good to hear that he is eating again and even better that he is able to stop pain meds in the last 24 hours. I will say a prayer for continued good results and hope to see another post that he has a great scan that blows them out of the water at the end of the 12 weeks. Let us know how it’s going and please come back here just to be a part of this group.
Julie T.
Catherine…that is just beyond wonderful. Remission…cure…..NED…..what does it matter what they call it if it means more time….and that time being “good” time…enjoying life. Congratulations to your mom……Julie
Liz….Hooray for Dr. Kato . I’m liking what I’m hearing about him. And…Hooray for you for taking this in your own hands and being proactive. Surgery is a great word here and we will be waiting to hear the update after surgery. I know what you mean about when it rains it pours. Our family been there too, in the past. It will all happen okay……just get what you need to get done…and focus on the 23rd. I’ll be saying prayers for you.
Julie T.
