Pancreatic Cancer - Our Journey has just begun

[me_mum]

Mum starts her chemo next Monday for about 3 months (once a week) in the hope that the tumour will shrink and then a whipple operation can start again...

Any advice or tips for the first day?

[kj]

Drink plenty of water after chemo helps flush toxins from body quicker also every one has a different tolerance.best wishes to your Mum with treatment.

[me_mum]

thanks kj

[Gab_CCNSW]

Hi @me_mum

Just checking in with how things are going for your mum.  

Plus I thought I'd let you know that Cancer Council runs a telephone group for people with pancreatic cancer - perhaps your mum might find it helpful to talk with others who've had the same diagnosis and treatment. If you wanted to find out more, best to call 1300 755 632 or email: tsg@nswcc.org.au.

There's an opportunity coming up at Cancer Council for carers to share their experiences so that we can engage with other carers who feel isolated.  Let us know if you're interested - or anyone else who's reading this post.  Email us at:  onlinecommunity@nswcc.org.au

Regards

@Gab_CCNSW

[me_mum]

Mum finished her first cycle this week, so next week she will be having a break. She has been ok but coping with odd pains here and there. Eating is the main issue, she now weights 47kgs and has started to loose her hair. She has two more cycles to complete before they will rescan to see if the tumour has shrunk. Before she started chemo she had a upper chest scan and they did find some spots on her lungs but they are not sure if they are cancerous or not. Her oncologist did tell her yesterday that if the spots are cancerous then they will not operate. To be honest all the doctors we have dealt with need lessons in how to speak to patients, I've found they don't even try to put a postive spin on anything they say, and this is what I am having to do so mum can keep fighting. I am not sure what happens if they tell us they can't operate, I guess it's a decision then mum will have to make if she decides not to continue chemo or not?

Does anyone know how a body shuts down if a cancer patient stops chemo, do they suffer? 

Is 47kgs very low for a patient who still has two more cycles to complete? 

Thanks Mon 

[me_mum]

Spoiler

Mum finished her first cycle this week, so next week she will be having a break. She has been ok but coping with odd pains here and there. Eating is the main issue, she now weights 47kgs and has started to loose her hair. She has two more cycles to complete before they will rescan to see if the tumour has shrunk. Before she started chemo she had a upper chest scan and they did find some spots on her lungs but they are not sure if they are cancerous or not. Her oncologist did tell her yesterday that if the spots are cancerous then they will not operate. To be honest all the doctors we have dealt with need lessons in how to speak to patients, I've found they don't even try to put a postive spin on anything they say, and this is what I am having to do so mum can keep fighting. I am not sure what happens if they tell us they can't operate, I guess it's a decision then mum will have to make if she decides not to continue chemo or not?

Does anyone know how a body shuts down if a cancer patient stops chemo, do they suffer? 

Is 47kgs very low for a patient who still has two more cycles to complete? 

Thanks Mon 

[me_mum]

Update:

It was mum's bday yesterday and the start of her second cycle of treatment... So far she is going ok, the odd pains but not too bad. She has three cycles then we will know her fate after the third cycle (after re-doing CT Scans).

She has lost all her hair now and is still fighting with food, having only Ensure drinks at night and during the day whatever she can keep down.

Both dad and myself are doing everything we can to keep her thinking positive and to stay strong ;).

I haven't found anyone who has had a similar experience to what mum has gone through, not too sure if mum is a unquie case...