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What are we looking at?
Hello, I am new here and needing some insight, hope in what we are up against.
My Mom who is 79 and otherwise healthy went to the ER for some abdominal pain. They did extensive test including MRI, CT with and w/o contract that revealed a mass on the pancrease and on the liver. The labs that were done the pancreas, ( which I am unsure what it is called) was very high, if I am correct normal is up to 135 and hers was in the mid 400's. She has had on and off cloudy/dark urine and has lost 20 pounds. All of this started about a month and a half ago.
She just had an upper endoscopy to get biopsies but the DR is pretty certain that it is cancer. She is scheduled to have a stent placed. So currently we are awaiting results but in the mean time my Mom has no appetite, she tries to eat light things but it's hard, she is getting weak and fatigued.
I have no idea where we are on this but is there hope for her? Looking up information it doesn't look good and I am so scared. Any advice or information is greatly appreciated. Thank you
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Haha too funny! I was stage 3 at that thing but not it has metastasized to my lungs so I’m stage 4.
Yes, the stage if it has metastasized to liver was stage 4 for me. Only 1 lymph node involvement which was determined for sure during surgery. My original test, a simple ultrasound, thought 1 lymph node but possibly 2; confirmed only 1 next to pancreas. 26 lymph nodes removed during surgery to allow for testing. You really need to discuss prognosis with her drs. I was prognosed, my stance was never to ask but my husband blurted out the question to my doc, for 6-11 months. It’s been 9 months and I feel pretty optimistic to make it until next year. Again, know your mutations. Some have lived for years in stage 4.
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3 ReactionsThat is what I thought as my husband had stage 3 colon cancer and thank God he is cancer free.
I am so sorry about your diagnosis
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1 ReactionSorry computer had a burp and sent the previous message
I am so sorry about you diagnosis and how hard that is. So you are currently doing chemo?
I am hoping to know more as soon as pathology gets back to them, it's just a waiting game right now.
Thank you so much for your replies
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1 ReactionThank you, but I try to look at the bright side of this (my plan is writing a small guidebook mostly of the good side of getting this disease kind of to relieve our anxiety). I’ve been able to plan for the future of my family (I was the breadwinner after we were married - my husband supported me in my many years of college until I could pin down the right major). He helped also a lot with our children (he had a small contractions business which allowed him to set his own hours) and helped take care of first my dad and then later my mom as they came to live with us during their illnesses. It’s a tough disease but I’ve sold/donated many things that nobody in family/friends wanted, we sold our home and put profit in fund easy to obtain by our 2 kids, I put together a bucket list of fun things I wanted to do with family, etc. in other words I am well prepared for that final day when I have to move on. I consider it a gift. My brother died suddenly from a heart problem and it’s very difficult when dealing with packing up belongings of a loved one and also having to deal with their loss, so though I would love a few more years, I have the opportunity to make things easier for those I leave behind;just in case. I’m getting chemo now and possibly a specialized type of radiation MRIedean that targets just the diseased tissue.
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2 ReactionsI love this, I know my Mom is the same and has remained so positive and i know it's her faith. I think she is more worried about us kids and my Dad. Thank you for sharing more of your story. It is a horrible disease, any cancer is. My husband went through stage 3 colon cancer back in 2019 and that was quite a ride and roller coaster but thankfully my parents were here for support as much as they could be as my husband is a very private person. I'm glad you have prepared them so well.
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4 ReactionsSo glad to hear your husband beat colon cancer - another one of the tougher cancers, I think. I don’t consider myself an overly religious person, but I agree with your mom in regards to faith, though I’m fighting like the dickens to last as long as possible!
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4 ReactionsThank you, unlike pancreatic cancer colon cancer has preventive tests that can be done.
It was confirmed yesterday that it is infact pancreatic cancer. She is doing another CT to focus on the liver and Drs are meeting today to determine I believe stage, what treatment they will take and get her to oncology. I believe this will all go fairly quickly, at least that's what I'm hoping for. Thanks for chatting with me it helps so much.
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3 ReactionsHello @lovemymom1
I am glad to hear that your mom's medical team is making good progress in confirming a diagnosis and moving forward with staging and treatment options.
Will you keep in touch as this process continues?
Lovemymom1,
It’s been a pleasure offering whatever discussions I could to ease the anxiety about this disease. It does seem like your mom has a good team between her doctors and your loving support - she is very lucky to have that! I’ll be praying for an easy road for you and your mom and please keep us updated. Best wishes!