Lisa71
New User
Joined: 10 Sep 2007
Posts: 2
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 Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 9:37 am Post subject: My FIL just diagnosed with PC |
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Hello everyone. I'm new to this forum. Hoping for some information and some support.
We found out 4 weeks ago that my FIL has stage 3 PC. He had the whipple procedure 3 weeks ago today. The tumor was 5 cm and it has gone into the 5 lymph nodes they removed and tested. He sees an oncologist on Wednesday.
He is healing wonderfully from the surgery. Was home after only 8 days post op with no tubes at all. And he's eating, even though he's forcing himself to eat, he's still eating.
My sister in law tells me that he looks horrible, is pale and gray and he smells. Not body odor, but a sick smell she says. They live in FL so I can't see this for myself and not sure what the smell is.
I'm basically looking for information on what to expect now. I think my Mother in Law is in denial. She says she's not, but I think she is. It's hard to get anything out of her. Although she did tell me that he doesn't look so great.
They also don't want to know how much time he has left. Which is fine and their decision and I have no problem with that, but I would like to know. So if anyone has a similar situation going on with them or they experienced can you please give me some direction on to what is going to happen now?
Thank You. |
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freeio
Senior User
Joined: 20 Dec 2004
Posts: 116
Location: Guntersville, Alabama
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| Posted: Mon Sep 10, 2007 1:05 pm Post subject: What to expect |
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Lisa,
Sorry to hear about your FIL's pancreatic cancer. This is a messy disease which almost never comes to a good outcome.
Having said that, I am now three years from my initial diagnosis, and while I am very sick, yet I am able to do at least some of the things I used to do, albeit more slowly and sometimes with supervision.
The problem with PC is that no two cases are alike, and as such, there is little way to tell you what will happen next. I would categorize PC as a three month cancer, in that it would seem that by the time most people are diagnosed, they have from one to six months left. The problem is that PC cases are typically diagnosed rather late in their cycle (Stage III or IV) and have by then advanced to the stage where other organs are involved, many times in a life threatening way. In my case, I am in stage IV, and it has spread to my lungs, liver, lymph nodes, peritoneum, and the bones in my back. Yet, for all of that, I am still alive. The Whipple procedure, radiation, and repeated rounds of chemo have kept the cancer from killing me yet, and I have no set date by which they expect me to expire.
So in all likelyhood the PC has spread to other parts of the body that have not yet been discovered. This is normal. The pathologists can test only what the surgeons cut out, and so there is a limitation on their visibility as to what else is affected. Other tests will be required (CT scan with contrast, or a PET scan) to see where else the cancer has spread. I understand that the care is not in your hands, and as such you will only see what the others want you to see of whatever tests are done. This sure doesn't help your visibility, but due to the costs of the tests, they are only done when it appears that they may help in some immediate way.
There are a number of topics on my pancreatic cancer blog (listed below in the signature block) which may be of interest to you. It sometimes helps to see what others have been through to see what may be coming in the future.
I hope this helps.
Marty
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whipple procedure, Oct. 21, 2004
28 days of radiation
56 days of Chemo using Xeloda
diagnosed as progressive recurrent pancreatic adenocarcinoma (Stage IV) Jun. 20, 2006
was treated with gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and tarceva, which all failed.
Cancer blog: http://diehlmartin.com/cancer.html |
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