Just Starting The Journey

My husband started feeling sick (stomach/back pain) just a few months ago. After going to the doctor a few times, he was sent for a CT scan, and they saw a mass. After several consultations, which took about 6 weeks - 3 CT scans, one endoscope/biopsy procedure, we find that the tumor is about the size of a softball, has moved to the small intestine, and is wrapped around a very large vein. It is also in the nearby lymph nodes but is not in any of the far away organs. My husband will start radiation in a few weeks, and we have an appointment to see the chemo folks. He was a strong working man just a few months ago. We both worked 7 days a week, and now he is usually not able to get up out of bed. He sits up for a short time, and then has to lay back down. I know things will get worse, but I have to believe they will get better. The doctors don't seem to encouraging about surgery. This last doctor said that 70% of these operations end up doing nothing when inside. They just close up and really don't do anything because of the things they see when they are in there. It seems these CT scans, blood work, and scopes don't really tell the picture. Is there anyone out there who has had these same challenges? Thank you all for your input. I am getting a lot of help just reading the postings.

God Bless All,
Christine

Dear Christine
I am so sorry to hear about your husband. I was diagnosed with stomach cancer in June of this year. I am 45 years old. I started having stomach pain a little over a year ago. My doctor kept insisting it was acid reflux and was treating me for that. In Febuary I went to another doctor who ordered a scan and a scope. They found a very large ulcer that eventually turned into cancer. I had surgery to remove the tumor. They also had to remove half of my stomach and it was in my lymph nodes. I just finished chemo and radiation three weeks ago and am feeling better now but when I was first diagnosed and I knew what I was going to go through I honestly didn't think I could do it. But I kept up the faith and I have made it so far. I also have a wonderful family standing by me. What I am trying to say is don't ever give up hope and if you're not satisfied with the care your husband is recieving get another opinion. There are many wonderful people out there who are willing to do everything they can to help. Never give up. God Bless

Please take a look at this website: www.cancercenter.com. This center (Cancer Treatment Center of America) believes in treating the whole body, not just the tumor. This is where I am going for my Stage 4 lung cancer. They believe in fractionated chemo, which most the time keeps you from getting sick. I have 4 more chemo treatments and have not been sick once. This is a wonderful place to go for a consult and I believe that after you have been there...you will feel the same as me. I trust them with my life! Please take a look at this site before your husband starts his chemo...a second opinion is always important...when I was first diagnosed...they said it was in both lungs, the lining of my heart and lymph nodes...after going to CTCA for my consult and tests... it ended up to be in my left lung and lymph nodes. See how a second opinion can be life saving! Don't let your doctors make you a statistic...at CTCA you are you and they treat the person, not the cancer. I have a team of 6 specialists that meet regularly about ME! (oncologist, pulmonologist, radiation oncologist, psychologist, naturopathic doctor and a nutritionist). Give it a try!

Julia M.

Dear Christine,
I was so sorry to read about your husband's cancer diagnosis. My family started this dreaded journey in Feb. this year when my 35 yr old brother was diagnosed with peritoneal cancer. This is a very rare cancer, and even more rare for men. It has been a lifechanging experience. Please chen with the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. We tried this route, but my brother's cancer was to far advanced by the time it was diagnosed and he was unable to experience this wonderful place I have done a great deal of reading about. Sadly, I lost my brother in November, I just wish the doctors would have acted faster in diagnosing therefore, maybe we could have acted faster in treatment options. My thoughts and prayers are with your family, hopefully there will be a cure in sight soon.

Audrey

If you would like to talk with someone at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America.. the referral number is 1-888-816-5122. A Cancer Information Specialist will answer any questions that you might have.

You also need to get the book "There's No Place Like HOPE" by Vickie Girard (a cancer survivor from CTCA. If you have any personal questions or your husband would like to talk with me... I would be happy to speak with him about CTCA or just talk... I know what you are going through and it is always nice to talk with someone that has been there.

Julie M

Dear Christine,

One more note, PLEASE get a copy of the book "There's No Place Like Hope" It is written by Vickie Girard. I am not a "reader" very often, but this book is THE BEST. It is wriiten by someone who has been there, but not a "story of my life" type book. This book really helped me after my brother was diagnosed with cancer. It is straight forward and detailed about how she dealt with cancer, not always listening to doctors, but sometimes listening to her self. She fought and won her battle, and is doing well even after being told there was nothing else that could be done for her (that was about 10 years ago). Wonderful reading, informative and comforting.

Audrey

Christine,
I'm sorry to hear about your husband's Ca. My husband was diagnosed with pancreatic Ca last Sept. 2003 and we began treatment at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America. He had a 3x5 cm. mass in his pancreatic tail and 6x10 cm. mass in his liver with a number of small lesions in the liver as well. He had great initial success with chemo and became a surgical candidate, having 2 surgeries in March and June. The cancer had already returned at his 1 month checkup in July and we have had 1 round of a different chemo. Steve gets up each morning and goes to work as long as he can (usually 4-6 hours); we walk, ride bikes, visit good friends and help our 4 children move and start new jobs and college years. Pretty good for someone who was supposed to have maybe 3 months. There are a number of new pancreatic ca treatments in phase II and III trials. We pray God's continued Hand in Steve's healing and thank Him for each new day. Good luck to you and if we can help, please let us know. Steve and Dawn S.

dear steve and dawn: your story has given me hope, and i thank you so very much for sharing. my name is kate and i am 28-years-old. my mom of 61 years was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer on 7/7/04. the tumor is in the body of her pancreas and is surrounded by blood vessels. she also has two small lesions on her liver. before diagnosis, she just thought that she had strained a back muscle. she was just experiencing lower back pain, and before that, her stomach was acting up, but she just thought that it was her irritable bowel syndrome. when the surgeon conducted the biopsy, he gave my mom 1-2 years - our worlds crumbled. her oncologist, however, did not give her a death sentence like that, but gave her a positive attitude and so much hope. he wants to treat my mom's cancer as aggressively as possible. my mom has maintained an incredibly positive attitude and is so optimistic. she is going to fight this with all of her might. she looks great and does not look sick at all. she is still working and trying to beat this one day at a time. she is on her third week of Gemzar - she is doing seven straight weeks of Gemzar then a week off. It is a clinical trial that she is participating in. I want to thank you again for sharing your story, and god bless you both. many thanks and my very best to you, kate

I was interested by your message, which was very positive, and wondered if I could ask for advice.
Our 78 yr old father has been diagnosed with pancreatic ca, after a long illness the symptoms of which were ascribed to gallstones. He has been losing weight for a year, and had been through lots of lower GI investigations which showed up a sigmoid diverticular stricture. He had an episode of cholangitis last spring and was listed for a cholecystectomy.
He had cholangitis again before christmas, was very septic and then had a silent MI. He then was discharged and readmitted within 48 hours in cardiac failure, with further cholangitis/sepsis. They put a drain in his gallbladder at this point. A CT showing a 3cm pancreatic mass at this point: deemed to be either inflammatory or neoplastic, but he was deemed unfit for an ERCP or biopsy. After one month on a surgical ward, he was discharged. He then was readmitted 10 days later with duodenal obstruction;the gallbladder drain had blocked too. This turned out to be due to tumour expansion. He is now deemed unfit for surgery including palliative gastro-jejunal bypass, and has been told that chemo and radiotherapy are not applicable. He is being sent home with nursing care. Does anyone know of any options we might have? He has been given 6 to 8 weeks.