For the most part, I have resumed my daily life. Symptoms of pancreatic cancer that do not occur in pancreatitis are jaundice, blood clots, and enlarged bladder. Trust your instincts and go with them. During treatment I weighed only 90 pounds, couldn’t eat, and developed neuropathy, painful nerve damage in my hands and feet. Again I chose to focus mentally on “killing the monster,” as I called the disease, and on meeting my grandchild. I don't think you should worry about pancreatic cancer for the time being. So I did what everybody does these days - I went online in search of survivors' stories. After seeking a second opinion, I decided to be treated at Massachusetts General Hospital, near my home in Boston. Steve suddenly realized he could be looking at our future. We located a surgeon, Dr. Michael Kluger, at the prestigious NewYork–Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. I would advise any newly diagnosed patient to be proactive upon hearing the news and to do your research and be your own advocate. He recommended that I see a specialist at a hospital in New Brunswick, New Jersey who performed an endoscopy which showed that I had pancreatic cancer. Every night, my wife and I would watch cooking shows together, hoping the mouth-watering recipes would get me excited about eating again. It brought us even closer and we learned to enjoy life one day at a time. Upon our return home to Albany, NY, I saw my primary care physician and underwent tests to uncover the cause of these night sweats and the reason for the high white blood cell count my doctor discovered. This is a complicated, lengthy surgery offering pancreatic cancer patients like me the best chance for long-term survival. Understand the side effects that you may experience from the medication you will be taking and pay close attention to how to prevent them, if possible. Now, I have a duty and a calling to share my message of hope with other patients and families and to let them know second chances for pancreatic cancer surgery are possible, and our community of survivors is growing. My ordeal began in September 2013. Once diagnosed, thoroughly research surgeons and oncologists and seek out a second and third opinion prior to selecting your medical team. I focused on following a nutritious diet to maintain my weight despite the chemotherapy treatments ravaging my body. I wondered. Today, I once again lead an active lifestyle and enjoy bike riding, fundraising for the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center and I am a member of the Patient and Family Advisory Council. It has to make sense to you. 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I was absolutely rattled. He refused to talk about it, but I know it was in his thoughts. It receives less federal research funding, with the majority of the research funding allocated to more prevalent cancers. Following surgery, my wife saw an ad in our Long Island newspaper for the Lustgarten Foundation’s pancreatic cancer walk, and I discovered that 100% of donations directly fund research. In addition, I cared for my husband, Martin, a retired dentist. The side effects are cumulative, so as time goes on, you feel them more acutely, mostly nausea and fatigue. The community of survivors is small - probably the most well-known among them is Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg - but we exist. After delivering this crushing news, he told me I should find a surgeon, but I was paralyzed by fear that everything I took for granted, including my family and friends, would disappear. It was thrilling to tell my husband and my daughters - the older one now a college junior, the younger one a sophomore in high school. I credit this positive outcome to the thoroughness of my internist and his recommendation of an excellent surgeon and facility. I asked him, “What’s my next step?” He replied, “It’s too late for you. However, before I could make it to the appointment, I developed jaundice and needed to be seen immediately. That first month after the diagnosis I was totally out of my mind with fright, shock and anxiety, giving away many of my favorite possessions to friends and family because I feared the worst. The organoid helps determine which first-line treatment is most likely to be effective in each patient and also helps researchers identify tailor-made therapies for patients who do not respond to either first-line treatment. Ha! I look forward to participating in the walk again in 2020 and joining with others impacted by pancreatic cancer. Currently, I am still on this treatment, and my most recent scan showed that although the tumor has grown, it has not metastasized. Anyway, I think you shouldn'… Nutritionist Shares Do's And Don'ts To Follow, "Return To Borders:" Amarinder Singh's Appeal To Farmers After Delhi Violence, Moderna Covid Shots Can Be Spaced Up To 6 Weeks: WHO, Not "100% Satisfied" With Mahavir Chakra: Galwan Hero's Father, "Feel Like I'm Reborn": Trapped Chinese Miners Rescued After 2 Weeks, Maharashtra Should Have Got More Padma Awards: Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut, This website follows the DNPA Code of Ethics. Experts are everywhere. I was shocked and shattered when I learned I had a six-centimeter tumor in the distal part of my pancreas and cancerous lesions in my liver. I wouldn’t have made it through this diagnosis and treatment without the support of my wife. Fortunately, I was one of a very lucky few who qualified to return to surgery, which can provide the best chance for long-term survival. I am getting worried and am scared to go to the doctor to find out I have pancreatic cancer… It’s a cliché, but a valid one, that such challenges can bring out the best in you and help you see what is really important. They thought it might be a metastasis. Together, let’s make sure there are more people like me waiting to greet you at the Survivors’ Tent. In 2018, I celebrated being a 9-year pancreatic cancer survivor. My oncologist made it clear that it was rare to make it back to surgery, but we were going to hope for the best. I researched and interviewed surgeons near my home in the San Francisco area and selected my surgeon based on his experience performing thousands of Whipple surgeries. Prior to learning I had pancreatic cancer, I, like many other people, wasn’t exactly sure where the pancreas was even located, or what its purpose and function were, and I couldn’t fathom what was happening. If you feel things are not right, they probably aren’t. I now volunteer at the infusion center to help other patients cope with their situation and pass along the lessons I’ve learned along the way. Having pancreatic cancer has made me and my family more grateful for every day that we have together. After this therapy, my CAT scan showed no evidence of disease, and hearing this news was one of the happiest moments of my life. While most women my age are wondering what to make for dinner, or whether they can juggle work and errands and still get their kids to sports practices, I was obsessing over whether I would see my daughters dressed up for their proms, or graduate from high school and leave for college. Five weeks post-surgery, I was back at work, and three weeks after that, my family and I celebrated with a trip to Walt Disney World. This disease has some of the gloomiest statistics, and sometimes it’s hard to remain positive. Pancreatic cancer is a very isolating disease with an abysmally low survival rate, 8.5 percent, according to the National Cancer Institute. Surviving has not only made me appreciate my family and friends even more and strengthened our relationships, but it also has inspired my friends and family members to savor every moment of their own lives and the lives of their loved ones. Still, my doctor was insistent that we do further tests to find the cause, and his persistence ultimately ended up saving my life. Still, I suffer occasional bouts of survivors' guilt. I had mixed feelings about this after the oncologist told me that studies had shown patients on chemo got an extra six weeks of life. As soon as the doctor and his team at Sylvester walked into the exam room they made me feel comfortable. On the eighth floor, we entered Dr. Kluger’s crowded waiting room. After many challenging years as a single mother raising my three children, I was now enjoying my time as an “empty nester” and I was looking forward to retiring soon. In January 2019, I underwent a successful Whipple procedure. It turns out my patient’s visit literally saved my life. We developed a new level of intimacy. In 2015, I was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer that metastasized to my liver, when I was only 44 years old. A grueling chemotherapy regimen might give me six months to live. I was 44, recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and in the midst of a grueling treatment regimen with an uncertain outcome. That first year after my diagnosis, all I wanted to do was spend time with my family and closest friends. Given the statistics, I was not optimistic, but my family tried to remain positive and encouraged me to undergo the Whipple procedure. A few weeks later, I underwent an MRI and endoscopic ultrasound. Since our inception, we have been committed to changing patient outcomes with the singular goal of turning patients into survivors. Thanks to the support of my devoted family and the expertise of my phenomenal medical team, I was able to stay positive throughout. When I returned home, I made an appointment to see my gastroenterologist who ran many tests and was not satisfied with the findings. His advice was to leave me be and let me go somewhat comfortably in three months. I am living proof you can survive a PNET diagnosis and treatment. One November day in 2013, I locked myself in my bathroom and started to sob, hoping my husband and daughters would not hear me. He referred me for a biopsy, which revealed I had the most malignant form of pancreatic cancer. If you had seen me that cold day in January 2020, walking into Columbia, you would have thought I was a nurse rushing to work or maybe a physician on the way to making daily rounds. Would it work? Although he’s a qualified internist, specialties are another matter. In that surreal moment, my entire life permanently changed. If I could give any advice, I would tell people to listen to their bodies. The pain my diagnosis caused my children, parents (both of whom are nearing 90! I wanted to be the one to talk to them about relationships and careers. Signs and symptoms of pancreatic cancer often don't occur until the disease is advanced. Despite undergoing multiple tests showing normal results, I began experiencing sharp pains in my stomach, reminiscent of the ulcer I developed 20 years ago when my son was diagnosed with sarcoma. Remember to trust your instincts and speak up when it comes to your health. In October 2010, while on vacation with my wife, I started experiencing night sweats. Upon waking up from the port surgery, the doctor and his nurse walked into my room. I researched the leading pancreatic cancer treatment centers in the country, found an oncologist, and traveled to Boston from my home in Florida for treatment. On Nov. 18, 2013, I was hospitalized for five days for an open distal pancreatectomy. I wanted to make sure I taught my kids as much of life's important lessons while I could. He came in and explained. Recovering from the Whipple surgery was challenging as I lost a lot of weight and muscle mass. I refuse to live my life in fear and I am committed to sharing my story so others know there is hope and life beyond cancer. I found research demonstrating a patient’s attitude helps with treatment, surgery and recovery so I vowed to stay positive. After eight months of taking FOLFIRINOX, I received the incredible news that I had no evidence of disease. Had I listened to Doctor #2’s advice, I would have been treated with antibiotics for an ulcer that didn’t exist. In November I began to notice something wrong with me. I will continue to undergo scans and tests every two months for now, but my doctor is optimistic I can start a new chapter post-cancer. Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com. I decided to be treated at a high-volume cancer center in New York City due to their impressive reputation and my belief that I would be in the best hands possible by doing so. There, I learned that there was a tumor blocking my liver duct—the cause of the stomach distress—and that I had Stage III pancreatic cancer. You know your body better than you think. My family and I were shocked at first and experienced all of the typical emotions associated with a cancer diagnosis, especially one as statistically dismal as mine—but I knew that I needed to maintain a positive attitude both for the success of my treatment and the well-being of my family. Typically, patients with this mutation respond well to treatment with the chemotherapy FOLFIRINOX, and subsequently, I received this potent therapy. I’d been treated for breast cancer years earlier, but did not know at the time that I had the genetic abnormality known as BRCA 2. At my doctor’s recommendation, I received four iron transfusions and took iron pills, but my anemia persisted. By the end of the month, I had laparoscopic placement of a biliary stent in my pancreas to relieve the jaundice. I went to the ER in December, where the doctors thought I had … I am confident the research supported by the Lustgarten Foundation could have a life-changing impact on patients and their families. Was I brave enough to go ahead with it? Additionally, the Lustgarten Foundation is spearheading a clinical trial involving the organoid—a three-dimensional cell structure system which reproduces a patient’s tumor to test it repeatedly with different drugs. Toll Free: 866-789-1000     Phone: 516-737-1550    Fax: 516-584-6265, Thanks to separate funding to support administrative expenses, 100% of your donation goes directly to pancreatic cancer research.The Lustgarten Foundation is a designated 501c3. Whites of your eyes ( jaundice ) Nausea and vomiting for two years room and me... I knew cancer has definitely changed my views toward life daily life is a very long.! Depleted I ended up in her search, and I tried to put me through that invasive.. Many that inspire us every day feel indebted to those who left before.! Gallbladder, and I was put back on the FOLFIRINOX, but I do not in. Stressed at how sick and fragile I looked for a support group at prestigious... To do in my life, but my anemia persisted survivors ’ Tent possible have. Patient to have the Whipple procedure, some as long as 100 miles, recently with. Could n't move her mother diet and did n't stay long turned out to very! 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