I am 72 years old, and was diagnosed last September with stage 2 pancreatic cancer. My "backet list" is complete and after hearing all the side effects, some permanent of chemo and surgery for treatment I decided to decline treatment also. I do receive palliative care for my pain and to help me deal with my eating issues. You should be sure to look into this kind of care, it will help your quality of life without being invasive like chemo or surgery. It is hard to say what I will be facing in the future, even my doctor doesn't know. It all depends on how my cancer grows. How fast and where. I do know what my life would be like if I had agreed to treatment. I believe in quality of life, not the quantity. I was able to travel at Christmas to visit family and have been able to host them here were I live. By the way I live in Nevada, they live in Maryland. I don't believe it would have been possible to do these things if I had treatment last September.
Declining treatment is a hard and very personal decision, not everyone agreed with mine. But I know it was the right one for me. God willing I will be traveling again this summer to visit family. Wishing you the best of luck with your health journey.

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