Need some HOPE!

waynodtr · New User Joined: 20 Nov 2008 Posts: 2

Today, my father, mother and I went for a surgical consult to see if my father is a candidate for surgery. He is not because the tumor in the head of the pancreas is affecting the celiac axis. We then returned home to see his local oncologist. His oncologist is suggeting that we try Gemzar for a month and see if this shrinks the tumor...even though there is a VERY small chance that it will shrink enough for surgery. We have a referral in at MD Anderson and I would like my father to wait on the referral to be processed so that we can see what MD Anderson thinks...maybe he is eligible for a clinic trial...or maybe they will feel that surgery is possible...I am looking for stories of people who were told that their tumors were unresectable...and then later found out that the surgery was actually a possibility. My father is feeling hopeless and I want to encourage him...I know there is hope...maybe not a lot, but a little bit is all he needs.

tweetybird · Regular Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

hi, my mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a while back, and in the beginning, she was not a surgical candidate either. Her doctors put her on gemzar and tarceva, it did shrink the tumor enough for them to think they could do surgery, but where my mothers tumor is at, once they saw it clearly in surgery she would have died right then had they removed it...so no my mother did not have surgery but the gemzar and tarceva they put her on one of them did work enough for them to think it was possible..so in my eyes there is hope,and you should stay hopeful for yourself and your family. Anything is possible ive found out, so just think positive and please let me know how everything works out!!!

waynodtr · New User Joined: 20 Nov 2008 Posts: 2

Thanks so much. Those are the kinds of things I am needing hear right about now. I went for a walk today with my Dad and he began to talk about end of life issues...hospice and that type of thing. I know he is trying to be practical and I am trying to make sure he has the opportunity to say all of the things he needs to say but just don't want him to give up yet. It is a hard balance to find. Thanks so much the encouraging words about your mother. I wish you all of the best.

tweetybird · Regular Joined: 29 Jan 2008 Posts: 10

no problem, if i can ever be of help or just need to talk just message me...and please pass my story on to your dad, there is hope out there, although not everyone is blessed with the best things in life, but its there. My mom has stayed positve through this whole time, im sure she has her moments, but shes a tough women, and always has been, and im proud to say im just like her...so just please encourage your dad to stay positive, and dont let him get down. and you know, my mom used to talk about end of life issues as well, and it is very upsetting, but i never got upset in front of her..i just talked with her, so just be as supportive as you can be, and just because hes talking like this doesnt mean that hes giving up, it could just be his way of dealing with things, and getting them off his chest, and he needs you to listen..ive done a lot of listening, and crying later alone, its so hard to go through, and youll have to figure out a way for yourself to vent. and i will be praying for you and your family, as the long road ahead begins, and i wish yall the best of luck in the outcomes of everything

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