CancerCompass message board discussion started by bjteacher on 4/12/2008 http://www.cancercompass.com/message-board/message/all,22991,0.htm Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT Thu, 21 Aug 2008 00:00:00 GMT http://backend.userland.com/rss RSS.NET: http://www.rssdotnet.com/ My 38 yr old niece in Neb. was diag. in November w/stage 4 pancreatic CA. She had a chemo port put in her head this week. The CA is in the fluid surrounding her brain. Terrible headaches. Ketamine made toungue feels swollen w/difficulty swallowing. On benadryl and dilaudid.  BP spikes to 190/130 but responds to meds.  I am in Calif. and feel helpless. The big question---how much longer before her body succumbs to the disease?She survived leukemia 6 yrs. ago and West Nile virus 3 yrs. ago. She is the mother of 8 children. bjteacher Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT My mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that had matastized to the liver..stage IV.  Also had Non-Hodkins Lymphoma of the blood and bone marrow.  They can never tell exactly, but it's often 4-6 months.  Of course, that depends on how soon it is diagnosed. My mom was 76 and they didn't recommend any treatment for her.  She did some holistic juicing and really kept her quality of life pretty good as a result.  When the end came it went fast....fluid to the lungs and then a week later she died.  Never did any pain meds until the last week.A mother with 8 children and her age is oh, so heartbreaking and sad.Miracles do happen to those who believe...!!!!  Don't give up...especially for those children! Bethie Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:00 GMT