Hi, my name is Tiffany, and I’m 57 years old. On 8/16/22 an abdominal CT revealed a mass on my pancreas. I was immediately referred to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester where additional tests and a biopsy confirmed it to be adenocarcinoma. The mass is 3.6 cm x 3.0 cm. I was told that it is not currently a good candidate for surgery because of its proximity to 2 arteries. I had hoped to receive all of my treatment at Mayo, but they are an out of network provider and my insurance denied approval. So, I’ll be treated by the University of Iowa Hospital. This week I had a chemo port put in, a chest CT, and a PET scan. Thankfully, it does not appear to have spread anywhere, and I have my first chemo treatment scheduled for Wednesday. I’m both excited to get the ball rolling on my treatment, and a little nervous about how the chemo will affect me.

This past month has been such a mixed bag of emotions! The hardest part by far was telling my parents. They’re in their 80’s and we’re very close. I’m trying my best to keep a positive attitude, and have faith in my doctors and treatment.