Family, friends and carers
A forum for family, friends and carers' of pancreatic cancer patients.
654 topics in this forum
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Advice again please!
by Daddysgirl71- 3 replies
- 5.1k views
Hi everyone, Dad was diagnosed in April this year and had his op in June, as far as the consultant was concerned all the cancer had been taken but biopsy showed a slight spread to some lymph nodes. He was to have 18 courses of chemo in 3 wk blocks. He has gone every week to this getting thinner and thinner and weaker and weaker with no help and hardly any medical input..His G.P has never treated anyone with it before?? It wasn't till he had an appointment with his consultant that did the whipples last week and heard him gasp at the state of my dad that anyone has taken any notice! They immediately stopped his chemo( just 3 to go) and referred him to a nutritionist . W…
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Message from Ladywood
by PCUK Nurse Jeni- 0 replies
- 3.7k views
This message is from Ladywood (Marie). She has technical issues with her computer, and wanted me to pass this message on to you all. I just want to thank anyone who sent me a supportive message this year and also to wish everyone who is, or has been affected by this cruel illness as peaceful and as happy christmas as possible. My thoughts are with everyone "going through it" at this time. With very best wishes to all. Marie. Jeni
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How are you Nicki
by millyjo- 5 replies
- 6.1k views
Hello it's been a while since I posted, but I check in regularly. It is a comfort for some reason, as still struggling with my life without mum. Anyway, I wondered how things are with everyone, particularly Nicki. I hope things are ok. Think about you all. Love Millyjo xx
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My Dad lost his battle
by HelenF- 8 replies
- 6.7k views
My adored and beautiful Dad lost his battle yesterday morning. He had decided to come off Chemo after 2 cycles as he had no quality of life. This sadly didnt improve much, after coming off chemo but he was better mentally. I am so grateful that I was able to spend the last few months with him every day looking after him with my Mum. We are all heartbroken and our lives will never be the same. He died at home which is what he wanted and he is free. Thanks for your support over the months everyone. I will continue to write and post, as when I feel a bit more able to cope I really am going to help but this dreadful disease on the map.
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- 5 replies
- 5.8k views
As long-term users of the board will know, Ted has been having trouble with his legs and mobility. Well today he finally capitulated and let me buy him a mobility scooter. He was shown how to use it by the dealer. Shortly afterwards we decided to get a drink in the local market. Cue Ted trying to park mobility scooter....well maybe not trying to park it....he ran (very slowly) right into a seated customer! Ted's excuse was a slight downhill slope. The man he ran into wasn't injured so, although there was some embarassment, all was well. Until we were on the way home, that is, when we crossed halfway across the road to one of those pontoon things.....there were …
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Blue scorpion treatment
by Charlotte- 0 replies
- 4.1k views
Hi all, I haven't posted for a while... My mum is still with us, thankfully, and has been able to spend some precious time with her grandson Isaac, who's 11 weeks old tomorrow and just lovely. Mum is coming to the end of her 7th cycle of chemo - apparently she has responded very well to the treatment (her third scan showed a further reduction in the size of the tumours, although the good news was delivered rather cack-handedly as the first version of the report mistakenly compared the scan results with those of the first, pre-op scan, rather than the second one - in fact we're still waiting for a final, correct version of the report, which considering the scan was…
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Mum's home :)
by louiepc- 3 replies
- 4.8k views
Hi everyone Just wanted to let you know mum came home from hospital tonight. phew, so relieved, she's been in there for 3 weeks, and I must admit, a few times I didn't think she would get out. I have spent so many times crying over the last weeks/months. I know she doesn't have a great deal of time left, but she is still here and I need to enjoy every moment my lovely, beautiful mum is with us. Making her happy and laugh and smile. As long she's happy, then so am I. Thank you so much everyone for your support, you are truly great. I will still log on and let you know how things are, but I think I have been dwelling on the "end" before the end gets here. It…
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My Dad Passed Away
by CFF- 8 replies
- 6.9k views
hi all, My dad passed away at home on Monday afternoon. He went into hospital a couple of weeks ago for them to help manage the pain and the scan said it had spread to his liver and lungs. The oncologist said he might have a few months which I thought was optimistic. We managed to get him away the last weekend to a big house where we could all stay. He managed to get out for a few walks in his wheelchair and hear the kids playing etc, but he was very poorly, restless, couldn't relax and sleep and then couldn't swallow his medication. We managed to get him home on the Monday morning thank god for bog strong brothers. We were at home waiting for a new batch of meds to…
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Stopping Chemo
by HelenF- 3 replies
- 5.8k views
Hi Everyone Not been on here for a while, chemo and emergency hospital stays have taken up alot of time. Anyway after 2 cycles of chemotherapy my Dad and his oncologist have decided to call it a day to allow him some quality of life. It is a heartbreaking time but the chemo wasnt making sufficient progress plus it wiped him out both physically and mentally resulting in no quality of life at all. We know it we dont have long but we also know everyone is different. I wanted to know whether I should be aware of anything or if some one else had also stopped chemo and what their experiences were like. For example my dad has oedema in his legs, he is on water tablets, …
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mum finally diagnosed. 1 2 3
by louiepc- 74 replies
- 46.2k views
Hi, I'm new on here, I feel so sad. My mum has been ill for about 2 years, with the runs, pains etc, had so many tests, all the time coming back without a diagnosis, always being told "don't worry it's definately not cancer". Two months ago, I noticed how jaundiced she was and made her go to the docs, she was admitted into hospital and had a stent put in her bile duct. She had some biopsys taken at the same time, the following day she had to go to another hospital, on her own, my dad was refused to go with her. She was told straight to the point that she has a mass, that its inoperable, and not much point of having chemo. Mum was in complete shock, and distress, she …
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Grandma has just been diagnosed
by jesuisella- 3 replies
- 4.5k views
Hi, Im ella, im 20 years old and i'm new here but i need help my grandma has just been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the same disease that killed my granddad 2 years ago, i'm very frightened and I was wondering if anyone could give me some advice on what to expect and how to make her as comfortable as possible? thanks x
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A poem my niece wrote
by lynbo- 4 replies
- 5.2k views
A poem I wrote for my uncle Andrew, who passed away aged 39 on August 23 2010 after a short but hard fought battle with pancreatic cancer. Love you always, rest in peace.XXXXXX Visit me in a dream. Come and visit me in a dream, And tell me how you are, Are you floating on a cloud? Have you found the brightest star? I know you're with us somewhere, Even though you can't be seen, Painting the bluest sky, Or among the grass so green. As I'm wandering through the park, Looking up at the trees, Daydreaming of the joy you brought, Will you visit me please? Just send me a little sign, White feathers on the bre…
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new to this...cancer is back
by lmatrix73- 6 replies
- 6.3k views
Hi, I'm new to this in that I've never used discussion boards before. My husband was diagnosed aged 41 with pancreatic cancer and had a whipples section 3 years ago. We thought he had beat it and was one of the low % to have been caught in time. He had a recent scan and last week and we were told they suspect the cancer is back as a localised recurrence. He needs another scan in 3 months to confirm and they have said he has a maximum of 2 years to live if they are correct. We have 2 small children and are very scared. First time round, with a new baby and a toddler, I did loads of research myself, and I know how awful this cancer can be. I really thought we were in t…
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Having a bad day
by Mr Edd- 11 replies
- 8.8k views
I am new here so please forgive me if I say anything out of line. I was told last Thursday that my wife has cancer which has already spread from her pancreas to her Kidneys, Liver, Lungs and Thyroid. She started with a lot of fluid in her legs which they initially thought was a DVT but eliminated that and started to treat her for kidneys. She became quite poorly on Wednesday of last week and they took her into the Cardiology ward at New Cross. After a few test etc we found out about the cancer last week. As you can imagine we are devastated. It will be out 46th wedding anniversary in September and she is my life my soul mate and I am not sure I can cope. Today …
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No answers 1 2
by RSK- 28 replies
- 19.9k views
Found out my dad had PC three weeks ago, he has lots of other ailments like colitus that disguised the symptoms. A lot like endee and her husband. He was referred for a CT scan and they kept him in becuase he had a blood clot on the lung and came home after two and a bit weeks of nothing happening in hospital on Tuesday. The annoying thing is he needs heprathin for the blood clots and will have to inject it himself this weekend because the GP has not put a district nurse in place. My dad lives in a very rural area and can not keep travelling 30 mile round trips to the hospital for jabs and 20 miles to the GP because he is so tired. I am annoyed that he has been offered n…
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My Dad has gone
by wobblybobbly- 13 replies
- 9.8k views
My dad died this morning at 8am. I was with him. I miss him so much already. Thanks for all your support Alison
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Message for Nicki
by lynbo- 1 reply
- 3.3k views
Hi Nicki Hope your ok, haven't seen many posts on here from you lately so just thought I'd ask after you xxxxxx
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My best friend
by sophiek- 9 replies
- 7.2k views
On thursday 14th July my best friend was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer. Not only is she my best friend but also my Mum. I'm so sad I just can't describe it. It just feels like the bottom has fallen out of my world. My mum has a CT scan booked for this friday to see how far along it is, although she has suffered for over a year with stomache ache/nausea/weight loss. The consultant who broke the news told us that as the tumour is 'wrapped around' a blood vessel surgery may not be the best idea. As soon as I got home that night I looked at every site I could on PC and was further shocked by the medial survival rate. While my mum so far is being so incredibly strong, I am …
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Nearly a year
by lynbo- 6 replies
- 6.3k views
Hi to all the regulars, and all the people who I've spoken to over the last year. On Tuesday 23rd, it will be a year since I lost my gorgeous husband. 39 years old, everyday this week I have relived exactly what we were doing last year. He was actually in hospital, waiting for another stent, only to be told "your dying very quickly, there's nothing we can do" Dont know how I held it together? That was the Friday, he passed on the Monday morning. I miss him so much, sometimes it feels like it's just happened, other times I feel like years have passed. Anger, sadness, loss, it's a daily mix of emotions. Just wanted to say 'thank you' to everyone on here that have su…
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Struggling
by endee- 4 replies
- 5k views
It is a week today since we lost Mum at 63 to pc. It was so quick, only 1 week after diagnosis and I am struggling to come to terms with it. Only 4 weeks before we were on a family holiday celebrating my Dad's birthday. We have the funeral yet to come and the thought that after that I will no longer be able to see her or know she is near is almost too much to bear. I was asked by my sister"how does life get back to normal" I replied "it will never be the way it was, there will be a different normal". Trouble is I can't see life without Mum being there, and don't want a different normal. She had so many dreams, so many places she was planning to visit, holidays that…
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disillusioned and fed up
by wobblybobbly- 5 replies
- 5.6k views
I am just so fed up of the NHS at the moment. I hate to generalise about hospitals and the nursing / doctor professions, but I am just so appalled at everything my poor dad is being put through. After being told he was jaundiced a week ago, he was transferred from a Sue Ryder Hospice (where he had been staying for them to sort out his pain mgt) to the local hospital, supposedly so they could do some more tests and CT scans to see if it was viable to insert a stent in his bile duct. But no, the week has bought nothing but hassle and upset for us, and more importantly my dad. He has spent the week just lieing in bed waiting.....and waiting....and waiting. He had one xr…
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What to feed someone being and feeling sick all the time
by Hopefulwife- 5 replies
- 6.7k views
Hi, In spite of taking cyclizine and now metoclopomine for sickness, Steve has been sick twice today, and once at bed time last night. He started his chemo Gem/Cap yesterday, but this has been increasingly more sick over the last week. He managed breakfast (with Creon), then had a coffee and chocolate biscuit mid morning. Then was sick at 12 and hasn't wanted to eat since. He's just been sick again - bile now as there's nothing in his stomach. What do you do in this situation? He needs to eat as he's skin and bones, and has to have something in his stomach for the Cap tablets this evening. Our MacMillan nurse is coming to introduce herself to us tomorrow, but in t…
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sickness and diarrhoea
by LizzyD- 8 replies
- 6.8k views
Hi All, My husband Ivan has both PC and prostate cancer. The PC was diagnosed last October when his gall duct blocked and was stented. He was given 6-8 months without chemotherapy. He chose not to have it. The tumour then grew and blocked the stomach exit so that he had to have surgery to reroute his digestive system. The prostate cancer is being treated with Zoladex implants every 3 months. Mercifully, Ivan is not in pain nor has he ever been in pain from the PC. Although merciful, I find this very odd having read the posts on here. However, he does have a lot of sickness and diarrhoea which I find difficult to find a cause for. I can't think that it is anything I giv…
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New here and scared
by wobblybobbly- 14 replies
- 9.5k views
Hi I don't really know what to say, other than my dad has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, aged 72. It started when he had some stomach pains, and they found a scaterring of secondary cancer cells on his liver. I am in shock and am just heartbroken really. The cancer is in the tail of the pancreas, so no chance of surgery. Chemo will be his only option. He will hopefully have a biopsy on Wednesday and then get to meet Oncology team to discuss options. I am so new to all of this, and am unsure as to prognosis, although I understand it is bleak. Anyway, just wanted to say hello. Sorry for the short message, am just at a bit of a loss as to what to say. I…
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Just Joined with husband starting SCALOP trial tomorrow
by Hopefulwife- 2 replies
- 3.8k views
Hi everyone, I'm Diane and my husband Steve is starting his first chemo tomorrow (GemCap) on the SCALOP trial. A brief - though it never is - summary of Steve's condition is this. He was a fit healthy 58 year old, enjoying golf and tennis every day, a non-smoker who enjoyed a glass of wine with his dinner. He had left flank/back pain in January and thought it was his golf swing, but after few trips to A&E, was diagnosed with mild acute pancreatitis, but when they did an ultrasound they saw lots of fluid round his left kidney. They discovered his left kidney was only functioning 14% and the tubing to the bladder was blocked so they couldn't fix it. So at the beginn…