Kevin, known on the site as kevatvinegarhill, was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in March 2019. As part of Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month, he’s decided to share the story of his diagnosis and treatment with the Online Community.
Unexplained weight loss, fatigue and a continual feeling of indigestion after hot meals. There couldn’t possibly be anything serious, could there? My GP thought otherwise and referred me for a series of tests which began in November 2018 and went on to March 2019.
My GP rang me in March and told me it was suspected cancer, and that she wanted me to hear the news from her rather than get an appointment letter from the Churchill cancer unit in Oxford. That was very kind of her. By this time however, I had gotten quite jaundiced and the news did not come as any great surprise.
My partner thought I should be more concerned, but I am not a worrier and whilst my future prospects were, shall we say, somewhat in the balance, I have always had great faith in the NHS.
“I am not a worrier.”
I will not go into any technical details regarding what I know now was Pancreatic cancer, as frankly I do not understand it. I did briefly Google the disease, but it was so depressing I decided that any information I needed would come from the surgeons and oncologists. I stressed I wanted the plain truth with nothing held back. They did just that.
“A Whipple’s operation followed at the beginning of April and to my great relief, I had no post operative pain or discomfort.”
A Whipple’s operation followed at the beginning of April and to my great relief, I had no post operative pain or discomfort. The jaundice was cured by a stent in the bile duct and I was able to be de-tubed quite quickly. Whilst not particularly strong, I could start walking around within 12 hours. A good recovery rewarded by an early discharge from hospital.
However, there was not too much time to relax as my oncologist suggested I start chemo with an experimental mix of drugs, for which I was to be the guinea pig. She considered I was young enough and fit enough to cope with the treatment. By the way, at the time I was 69 (young enough?) and had lost a huge 26kg (fit enough?).
From the end of May to December 7th, I had 12 courses of chemo. The oncologist had run through possible side effects and how likely I was to be affected in her opinion. As usual, she was right. I had some diarrhoea, fatigue and infections which were easily dealt with. The biggest issue was loss of appetite, but I got through with mild curries plus, having developed a sweet tooth, loads of cakes.
“I got through with mild curries plus, having developed a sweet tooth, loads of cakes.”
Within weeks of finishing chemo, which wasn’t painful or unpleasant, my appetite had returned to normal and my weight has increased to a healthy level. The sweet tooth disappeared as quickly as it came and a benefit was that I gave up alcohol, (save for an occasional scotch, purely for medicinal reasons you understand). At the beginning of treatment, beer tasted awful and it has not been difficult to give up.
The care, kindness and good humour of those who cared for me (for us) cannot be over- exaggerated. The nursing staff have this uncanny ability to make patients feel at ease. I am not forgetting the ancillary staff caterers, porters and cleaners to mention a few. Without their contribution, hospitals would not function.
“Have in your mind that the outlook may not always be as bad as you might think.”
I feel very fortunate that the outcomes continue to be promising. I would encourage those diagnosed with cancer to talk to friends, family and the professionals, it really does help. Also, have in your mind that the outlook may not always be as bad as you might think. Set targets of occasions to look forward to and be determined not to let the disease take over your life.
And finally, do not hesitate to contact the medical team if you have any concerns. You are not wasting their time of being a nuisance. They are there to help and advise and whilst some of your worries may be a bit personal, do not be afraid of confiding in them.
We’d like to thank Kevin for taking the time to share his story with us. If you or someone you care about has been diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer, please remember you can find support and talk to others who can understand in our “Pancreatic cancer” forum. Why not share a positive thought, or a tip you’d like to share with someone who has just been diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer in the comments below?
