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My Sister's Battle with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC)
Pancreatic Cancer | Last Active: Mar 28, 2023 | Replies (35)Comment receiving replies
Quick update - again, so it might provide some basis of understanding of progression to others.
Beginning around midnight on Monday, she woke up crying and moaning loudly in pain. This is first of this sort of occurrence, but we knew it was coming.
I had been giving her (per hospice) tramadol as needed - not to exceed 4-6 hour intervals. This had been 1-2 a day - morning and early evening - this had been sufficient. Until Monday night. We tried another tramadol at midnight, then at 4 am, but by 7 am she was more vocal and clearly in a different sort of pain.
So, after she and I discussed, she agreed that it was time for the liquid morphine. I administered 0.25 ml - a tiny amount. She calmed in about 15 minutes and slept for 10 hours. When she woke, she was OK for a little while, but pain started again, so another 0.25 ml. Again, calming in 15-20 minutes.
She has shown no interest in food in two days and is now drinking very little.
She woke this morning at 5 am in significant pain - so, the med cycle continues.
Replies to "Quick update - again, so it might provide some basis of understanding of progression to others...."
I appreciate your updates as I have chosen not to have anymore treatments. I asked the surgeon how long I had and he said 6 to 8 months--that was Dec. 1st. He said chemo would only add about 4 months, but that there was always hope. He said to go out and do everything I wanted to do. The chemo made me so sick that it's not worth it to for 4 months. Today is 3/26/23 and I walked my dog and pulled dandelions and called a friend who has pancreatic cancer and had the Whipple nine years ago. There are now some nodules in his lungs.
I know that my time is coming. The symptoms I have are some anxiety for which I take lorazepam and a little discomfort on my right side--no pain. I also take a Creon with meals and pray a lot and hope that I will be a miracle.
Of interest is that five years ago I didn't feel good and went to ER and they did an ultrasound and MRI. All was okay, however, I recently looked at the results of those tests and it said that my pancreas had many cysts, probably benign! Well one wasn't! I don't know what could have been done and this is my fate.
Please keep updating. At least, I can see what is ahead for me. I was diagnosed on January 31, 2022. A week later I had a gallbladder attack and had my gallbladder removed. I had chemo and SRBT radiation in preparation for the Whipple. The PET scans and CT scans didn't show the carcinomatosis until the surgeon went in and saw it. I had robotic surgery and healed quickly. The doctor did not perform the Whipple, but took 6 inches of my intestine and created a bypass over my pancreas so I could digest food.
On most days I feel normal. I pray that God will give me more time.
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Honestly surprised they gave her tramadol, didn't feel any relief from any of my pain when I was on it for just basic pain, let alone cancer.