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Celebrating Life after Pancreatic Cancer!

Posted by marvinjsturing @marvinjsturing, May 9, 2019

Today is May 9. Five years ago, on May 9, 2014, I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Two days after my diagnosis, my wife and I went to church with our son. On that day the pastor preached a sermon on Romans 8:28. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” As we left church that morning, we did not know what the future held for us, but we were assured that God would be with us. Three weeks after preaching that sermon, the pastor's wife died of pancreatic cancer. When I told my boss that I had pancreatic cancer, he was concerned because his father died 6 months after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. My Whipple procedure was done on June 5, 2014. On that day, my brother-in-law was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He lived for another 20 months before the cancer took him. Two years ago, my cousin was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died 10 days later. My grandpa died before I was born, but last year I found out that he died of heart failure a few days after having surgery for pancreatic cancer. When I was diagnosed, the 5-year survival rate was 5%. Now it is 9%. Today, by God's grace and because of the help I received from the doctors and nurses at Mayo, I am alive and celebrating life!

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jymurawski | @jymurawski | Sep 8 7:30am
In reply to @jymurawski "You and I were diagnosed around the same time. I was borderline resectable and chemo shrunk..." + (show)
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You and I were diagnosed around the same time. I was borderline resectable and chemo shrunk the tumor so I could have surgery. My cancer returned 3 months after I finished my last round of chemo in December. I cannot believe the rapid aggression of this terrible disease. I felt so ready to resume my life again only to get slapped in the face with the reoccurrence. I’m now on the same two chemo drugs you were on. My neuropathy is getting bad so I see a readjustment of meds coming soon. I am also stage 4 and have been told no one beats pancreatic cancer. I don’t know what’s worse getting a life expectancy or not. My husband is having such a difficult time getting through the grief and fear of being left alone. I wouldn’t put anything in my calendar past June because I keep thinking I may not be here. We do need to stay positive and strong for as long as we can. Fight the bad fight. Fight the good fight for life. Please keep in contact with your progress and treatment. Judy

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I had to look twice to see if you wrote this response or I did. My hospital path abruptly ended last Tuesday when I was told the chemo stopped working and was being discontinued. Rush Hospital had no clinical trials available. I was not given any further options and a death sentence of weeks to possible months to live. I’ve been trying to navigate through the many trials available on the different websites, but feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by my lack of knowledge. My husband is broken. He is terrified of how to cope with life without me. PanCan has been helpful but every thing takes time which I don’t have. Meanwhile, my cancer is growing at rapid speed. My power to stay positive is shrinking.
Thank you for sharing your story. It is comforting to hear someone else mirror your experiences and feelings.
Start making your contacts at the various hospitals right now so you have some starting places. I wish you the best in fighting this hideous disease. Treasure every day.

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