Hi
I joined up yesterday. On Tuesday we found out that my mum has pancreatic cancer, She'd had an unexplained DVT which raised suspicions of the doctors and when scanning her they found suspect 'shading' also in her lungs. 18 months ago she was diagnosed as diabetic which came as a surprise given she had been overweight but hadn't actually had an unhealthy diet. This now seems a bit more than a coincidence.
Yesterday they confirmed that it was unoperable as it's spread to her lungs as well although at this stage they feel she's good candidate to have chemotherapy as her general health is good and are talking about controlling it and keeping it from spreading or growing further. Her blood tests are all normal and very little is actually visible on her scans.
I don't know how to interpret this information or process it in a rational way. It's also a whole world of new information that I don't have a way of knowing how to deal with as well. I haven't got any previous experience to relate it to or anything.
Any pointers on who to ask and even what questions to ask would be very helpful.
Thank you
Hi and welcome to the Online Community, although I am sorry to see you finding us and so sorry to hear about your mum.
A cancer diagnosis brings a lot of stress and confusion to a family but talking with people who are on the same journey can help a lot and will reduce the whirlwind wind that is rushing in your heads at the moment.
A lot of cancers are now classed as being treatable but not curable and it can be hard to understand this and I was basically in the same position for 14 years but the developments in treatments changed my classification.
But as my cancer journey was rather different you may like to follow this link to our Pancreatic cancerand Lung, secondary cancer Forums where you will connect with people who understand the journey your mum is on. You can ask the folks questions about tests, treatments, what to ask st appointments and what to expect during the months ahead.
Follow the link above and join the group by hitting the ‘Join the Group’ tab just under the main group name. At this point select how you want to receive email notifications when someone answers your posts.
You can either go to the 'Start a Discussion' tab just under the main group name. Set up your own Discussion and introduce yourself to the group - you could just copy an paste what you have in this first post. You can also have a look through the various threads by going into the ‘Discussions’ section.
I see you have found our Friends and Family Forum and Supporting someone with incurable Cancer Forums - again great places to ask questions about supporting your mum and all the family through this.
You may find our various Macmillan Support Line Services to be helpful - call them on 0808 808 00 00 This free service covers Emotional Support, Practical Information. Clinical Information, Financial Support and Work Guidance mostly open 8.00 to 8.00 but check the link.
I see you have found our ‘Ask an Expert’ section where you can post questions to our mostly Volunteer Experts but please allow 2 working days to get a reply.
Our Online Information and Support Section is a good place to find information covering cancer diagnosis, treatments and pages covering most types of cancers.
Talking to people face to face can help a lot so check to see if you have any Local Macmillan Support Groups in your area or a Maggie’s Centre as these folks are amazing.
When you feel up to it try putting some information in your profile. This really helps others when answering. It also means that you don't have to keep repeating yourself. Just click on YOUR username, select 'Edit Profile'. Put as much or as little in your profile and you can amend it at any time - you can see members profiles by hitting our forum names.
All the very best.
