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I had 12 Folfirinox treatments and then 15 r=
adiation treatments with oral chemo twice a day. I started chemo in May and i=
t lasted until mid-October, then October 31st started radiation and was luck=
y enough to stay at the Hope Lodge right in Rocester (a free cancer house) f=
or three weeks while I did radiation. I finish November 18th. I flew to Cali=
fornia to celebrate Thanksgiving and an early Christmas with my son and flew=
back to MN in time to have my surgery with Dr. Truty (Kendall=E2=80=99s par=
tner) on December 6th. I was in the hospital for 8 days with no ICU. I woke w=
ith an epidural and one drain plus a feeding tube which I never needed. I ex=
perienced very little pain and eating, even in the hospital, was no problem.=
Once home it was slow going but the nurse from Truty=E2=80=99s office calle=
d and said I was trying to run a marathon instead of learning to walk. Once I=
understood what she meant, I realized how well I felt each week from the pr=
evious week instead of looking at only day by day. I never used my feeding t=
ube so they took it out on my  week visit. I flew to Florida for the wi=
nter on January 20th after the =E2=80=9Cgo ahead=E2=80=9D by Truty=E2=80=99s=
office. I have not had any problems with eating although I am still 18 poun=
ds lighter, at 5=E2=80=994=E2=80=9D i went from 132 to 114-117. Since then I=
bought new clothes as pants and shorts fell off my hips, but I am loving li=
fe and my last two scans have been NED and my CA19-9 is down to 3. I play pi=
ckleball 5-6 days a week for 2 hours. I am in Vegas with my family and walki=
ng 17,000 to 21,000 steps a day with my Grandsons. They might be killing me b=
ut I love the fact I can do it at 72. Dr. Truty is not trained in robotic as=
is Kendall, so I did not have robotic and I would prefer open anyway. I wok=
e up to a glued incision which looked healed after the first day and never b=
othered me after at all. It is still a bit numb but no problems. I hope all t=
his rambling helps alleviate any fears you might have. I realize we are all d=
ifferent in how we react and heal, but that is my story. Mayo is a miraculou=
s place and Truty and Kendall are amazing surgeons dedicated to PC. I wish y=
ou the best of luck with your journey.=E2=80=9C=
Yesterday is a memory, today is a gift, tomorrow is a dream=E2=80=9D.=E2=80=9CI am not going to die before I am dead=E2=80=9D.=
Sent from Denna=E2=80=99s iPadOn Jul 12, 2023, at 9:54 AM, Mayo Clinic Connect=
<

My results are the same Dr Kendrick was my surgeon everything was done laparoscopically 5 tiny incisions but I can barely see three of them. I am NED. Went back to Mayo for the 3 week intensive radiation vs the 5 week. In the end my tumor was dead he just peeled it off during surgery. The journey is far from over though it’s like having bariatric surgery so you learn to eat all over again and expect to lose weight. I lost 20 lbs I know people who have lost 40 lbs it’s very hard to gain the weight back. My highest CA-19 was in the 60s I believe the highest maybe it was a little higher. I am also done to very low single digits. Best of luck to you. You are in great hands!!

You are lucky like me in that I also had a stage 1A adenocarcinoma. Had whipple 12/21 and just got my CT scan and Ca19 results back. Scan okay and Ca 19 at 14. Next check up is in 2/24. Margins clean and lymph nodes too. Elected to take no chemo but some holistic stufff that may or may not be helpful as one never nows. From what you are saying you should be in good shape with this beast and you are at a great clinic as I did my in Dallas.