Pancreatic cancer experiences

Hello Savona

I am sorry to hear about your Dad. Thank you for sharing this. 

Pancreatic Cancer seems to develop in different ways with different people. Therefore, it’s difficult to suggest what might happen to your Dad. The best thing I can say is to just take each day as it comes and try to enjoy it with your Dad. 

It’s up to him what he wants to do but the community team might be able to help with pain relief.

Squeaky

Hi, my partner was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer August 2018. He had a whipples operation in November 2018. He recovered well and enjoyed a few months of good health. They said 2 lymph nodes removed during surgery were cancerous but he refused chemo. His appetite deteriorated but hia 3 monthly scan showed no evidence of disease. Despite all efforts he could not, would not eat and lost weight. The next scan showed recurring cancer and at that stage, August 2019 he was too weak for chemo which he would have refused anyway. His abdomen and legs began to swell and he had this drained but after a few weeks returned. He was fortunate not to have pain, only discomfort he said. He passed away in December. I don't know if any of this is helpful  because as Squeaky says, not all casas follow the same progression. However, Ken was not in pain so I hope this may give you some comfort. I understand how difficult it is when you are looking for information and you just can't get any. I wish you all good things, Pam x

Hi Pam thank you very much for sharing this, it really is helpful to get realistic insights into what to expect. In the period from August 2019 to December, was he at home? In and out of hospital? I know each case is different but I am trying to make family and work provisions for the coming year and any info is helpful

Hi there, Ken was at home and relatively well during that time though of course he became gradually weaker. He went into the hospice for drainage of abdominal fluid. He came out the same day despite the doctors advising him to stay overnight for observation. He went back in a couple of months later as it had recurred but his blood pressure was too lw. He passed away a week later in the hospice, he would have come back home but they thought they would be able to do a partial drainage. It was very peaceful. X

Hi Savona. Thank you for sharing your experience and very sorry to hear about your dad. 
My mum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last month. She’s 53 y old and lives on her own. She underwent operation last week to try to cut the tumour on the head of pancreas, however the surgeons team could not cut the head of pancreas and other affected areas off as the tumour has already spread onto a blood vessel. It’s not clear at present if there are other mets. The surgeon has taken a biopsy instead. We are currently waiting to see the histology results. 
Mum seems to be tired and very demotivated. She has been kind of depressed for the last 2 years, which I red is a symptom of pancreas cancer but we never thought of her depression as a physical thing.
I want her to come to live with me and my partner in UK but I am not sure how the private cancer treatments work. Did your father go private and if so who did you approach first? Many thanks in advance, Vera