My best friend & soul mate of 32 years just got diagnosed with Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer that has metasticed to her lungs & lymph nodes. She is a diabetic and noticed around 10/07 that her stomach kept bothering her & she didn't want to eat, thought it was an ulcer. She had a upper GI & Drs said she had a hyital hernia, bad gallbladder & gastro paresis. After several months of excrusiating pain (Drs told her to "ruff it" and take tyenol, didn't want her taking Percaset because their an addictive narcotic), they finally removed her gallbladder & noticed a large "mass" in her pancreas. She's been rushed to emergency room several times & has been omitted for a hospital stay twice.
FINALLY, last month they diagnosed her correctly. It took more blood work & a CT scan to suspision it & then a pancreas bisopy. They've given her a "median survival rate of 6 months" when the reality is we KNOW she's on the tail end of that. She's trying chemo (gimcitibine), but the side affects are making her too sick. I think the Drs "missed the boat" & didn't find the correct diagnosis early enough (not this it would have mattered) There is NO CURE. THIS IS A HORRIBLE disease. Pls visit www.pancan.org. Watch ABC's 20/20 this Wed, 04/09/08 when Diane Sawyer interviews a patient who has it. HE WILL AMAZE YOU. I"m so unbelievely sad and heartbroken.... God bless..