karinfellows

Hi karinfellows, You have been on this site since Mar 2015 and we have not touched base with each other. I am glad to see that you are going to Mayo Clinic for a 2nd opinion. I myself am a 14year+ pancreatic cancer survivor. I know what you speak of when you say that this chemo drug almost killed you. After surgery I had a port inserted in my chest, and it was hooked to a pump which I carried with me every where I went..."everywhere!" Shower, and to bed included. I hung it outside the shower onto a towel rack, and also on my bedpost. There was enough lead to prevent pulling it out. Inside this pump was a cartridge of 5fu chemo drug. The chemo drug was being pumped into my system for 24 hours a day for 5 weeks non-stop! I also had radiation 5 days a week during the same 5 weeks. I mean to tell you it was "brutal." I don't know of any other term to describe it. I was crawling on my hands and knees in the morning until I could get up enough strength to get up and get ready for my next radiation treatment...and yes my chemo pump, (my Gucci Bag as I so affectionately called it), went into radiation with me. I would sit on the bathroom floor and brush my teeth. My wife had to dress me, and then drive me to the hospital. This was after she had worked the nightshirt at work. God Bless her! I vomited every day! They tried Compazine, Ativan, Kytril, and even Marinol...the closest you can get to marijuana and still be legal, (2001). There were many times I wanted to quit, but I refused to do so. I forced myself to eat, and it was Cheerios, and a banana that I was able to eat. Also a bran muffin. I fought my way through it all, and was so happy the last day of my chemo. Then they hit me with..."we want to do more chemo." I said "no way!" They said to go home rest up for a couple of weeks, and we'll call you. When they called I said "okay." Only this time it was one day a week, 3-4 hours at the hospital, for 9 weeks. It was nowhere near what I went through the first time. Swalworth I tell you this not for sympathy, but rather to,let you know there are others who go through the same thing, and I hope I can give you the strength, the courage, and the hope to move forward in your cancer journey. My best to you, and may God Bless You and provide you the comfort you need for the rest of,your journey.
Russ

Please let us know how you make out at Mayo Clinic. My best to you...Russ

Karinfellows,

Are you not taking any Creon? If you have health insurance you should be able to get. Please let us know as we can help you access this. Pharmaceutical companies will provide drug and subsidize if this is a financial hardship!

Hi karinfellows and welcome to the site. I'm sorry you have a reason to be here, but glad you found us. Lots of support and encouragement to be found here. And we're good listeners

Hello and welcome, we are happy to have you with us. Please feel free to join in the conversations. Here is a link to our cancer dx page for your type of cancer. Take a look at it to get you started on some information. You will notice at the bottom of that page 4 of our active users who have had that journey already, you may wish to contact them for their experience and wisdom. Also, I encourage you to go to the questions page now by clicking on the questions tab at the top of the page and post what is the most pressing issue you have right now. This will introduce you to the community and get you started on the help you need right now.

https://www.whatnext.com/conditions/cancer/pancreatic-cancer

There are also subtypes listed on this page to narrow down the type of cancer to match your dx.

Also, if you can take a few minutes and fill in some details of your journey so far, it will help others as they try to answer questions for you, it also helps others as they search through the data base to find someone like themselves. Confirming your email will allow you to receive updates and notices from the site when someone answers your questions or writes on your wall.

Thanks for being with us and let me know if I can help you find any information on the site. After you have an opportunity to look the site over and see what great things there are here, we encourage you to invite your friends, family or anyone you know that may be helped by the connections on WhatNext to join the site also. Just click this link to invite them to join. http://www.whatnext.com/recruit-a-friend

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GregP 3X Survivor
WhatNext Community Mgr.

Welcome to the WhatNext family! The WhatNext family is made up of people like you who are looking for help or looking to help others. To help you along your journey the WhatNext family has put together a Beginner's Guide to Cancer that I highly recommend you check-out here: http://bit.ly/10BQKCi. Also, please do not hesitate to reach out to others or ask for help.

Wishing you the best.

David
Founder, WhatNexter