Need Support

Hi, I am in a very bad place right now. I am a Registered Nurse who cares for my mother aged 70. She has always been extremely healthy except for GERD. She bagan having GI problems in the fall and the MD's quickly dismissed her symptoms as vague. Her potassium levels dropped and she had to go into the hospital. There they performed ultrasoung, CT scans with and without contrast. She was sent home with a diagnosis of Depression and BENIGN liver cysts with some pancreatic inflammation. I was so relieved. Then we went to the Gastroenterologist who flat out looked at the films and abruptly stated he thought she had Stage 4 Pancreatic cancer. He was very rude and emotionless as we cried. He ordered a biopsy of the liver which revealed cancer metastases. I can't eat or sleep and I am so angry that her symptoms were overlooked and undiagnosed.Anyone who can offer me some support would be immensley appreciated as I am falling apart while remaining strong in front of her....Karen

Karen , our situation is very much the same - i am also a nurse and thanks to that training i was able to request more testing done for our mother who also would have gone months before a dx was made.. Her pain started in her back-did ua found kidney stone -still was having back pain did lab results that showed her liver panel elevated along with some other test elevated / the dr didn't seem at all worried about these labs , but i was .. Mom has never been a smoker, drinker etc.. She was on no meds that would have elvated any of her tests- i made her go back to that dr and request further testing- he then sent her to a gi doctor that scanned and found a tumor in/ wrapped around her pancrease.. She was dx in oct 04 - would have been alot longer had i not been on top of that dr.. He was having issues in his personal life. Mom has done the radiation, chemo-both oral and iv, and she is still here with us today .. Unfortunately the doctor/ and her body has said no more to treatment and we are in the comfort stage/ end stage of this horrible disease process.. The only thing we can do now is try and make her eat and keep the pain at bay.. I find being in the health field has it's advantages and disadvantages when it comes to a loved one going through this.. Take care and god bless

Karen, I'm very sorry that you and your mother are going through this. I would love to speak with you, but I know that I can't put personal email addresses or any other information on these message boards. Any idea on how we can exchange information?

-- Message edited by CancerCompass staff: for personal protection, email address removed. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html ---- Maybe this will get past them. Please email me.

Hi Michelle, I just came accross your posting and see that you are trying to give your email address. This site blocks them all the time however I found a way to do it. If you do it with no symbols and just spell everything for example...... --- Message edited by CancerCompass staff: for personal protection, email address removed. Please review CancerCompass Member Guidelines at http://www.cancercompass.com/common/guidelines.html ---- I hope this works for you. My mother was also diagnosed with PC in July 2005 and sadly passed away aged 57 2 months later on the 15th Sept. This disease is so cruel. Please know that you are not alone. Tina