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Pancreatic cancer is now becoming one of the more common cancers because people are getting diagnosed earlier. It's still 75% fatal because it's hard to catch early, but depending on where the cancer is in the pancreas and whether or not it's spread all figures into your chance of survival. Cancer Treatment Centers are big on insurance. If you have iffy insurance or none at all, they won't see you. They evaluate you based on how much your insurance will pay. My friend took her husband to CTC's Phoenix one, and they denied him due to inadequate insurance. He died a month after they got back.
My brother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer two years ago this month. He passed away the following January, about three months after the diagnosis.
By the time he was diagnosed, it had spread to his liver and spine. Even with treatment, his doctors didn't give him much time and he made the decision he wasn't going to leave his wife in debt just to gain a few months.
Yes, early diagnosis is everything but sadly, the symptoms are such that it is typically, people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer at the end stages. It is very much like ovarian cancer in that way. Most folks who are diagnosed with either of those types of cancer are usually diagnosed in the late stages of progression.
As for mourning . . . and we have all discussed this before . . . it is such an individual thing. I am always glad for anyone who finds him/herself at the point where he/she could entertain the idea of another love in their lives. But for some, that time is far off or may never come. Not everyone even wants another partner.
My husband's dad died in his late 30s. His mom never did remarry. She said no one could live up to what she had with her hubby and she just didnt want someone else involved in her life.
Location: West of the Catalinas East of the Tortolitas
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Exactly, Tami. I've gotten pretty set in my ways and am content living by myself now. I don't think I'd like sharing my space with anyone again. Plus, I'm not a young girl anymore. I have adult children, grandchildren, and am not as healthy or agile as I once was.
I would love to share my life with someone I THINK, I don't know. He would have to be Mr. Perfect and thus far, the men I have met, are little boys in aging bodies. My husband was a man's man, I use to call him, "Duke" short for John Wayne, he was so manly, not a girlie man. He was strong, muscular and everything in a man I love.
My husband lived for 13 months after he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer..We had no idea! He seemed fine. Basically he thought he just had a minor problem...It's been 2 years since my husband passed away and I have no desire to date at all!...Hard to imagine that I will ever want to date or get involved with someone else.
CArizona, I feel the same way, even though my husband has been gone from me for only four months.
I was at Trader Joe's today and a husband and wife were shopping and he treated his wife awful, mimicking her and putting her down, so me and my big mouth said outloud so he could hear, "I AM GLAD I AM NOT MARRIED" although my husband would never treat me like that for the world but the men I have met so far are on the rough side, I find myself comparing them to my husband, no comparison.
My husband lived for 13 months after he was diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer..We had no idea! He seemed fine. Basically he thought he just had a minor problem...It's been 2 years since my husband passed away and I have no desire to date at all!...Hard to imagine that I will ever want to date or get involved with someone else.
I think that's why pancreatic and esophegeal cancer have such high mortality rates, CA. The organs are so hidden in our bodies that only tests reveal what's going on and the symptoms don't show up until the cancer has been around for so long.
The oncologist on hubby's first visit told us that the esophegus is 10" long. Hubby's tumor was 12" long! PLUS, the only thing that drove hubby to the primary again was that the "little purple pill" the doc had given him for the symptoms he went for initially, (couldn't swallow food) made them worse and that lead to going for a surgical looksee.
We were so blessed to have had 3 years of remission but like Patrick Swayze and Steve Jobs, that seems to be the limit.
Location: West of the Catalinas East of the Tortolitas
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A friend of mine's husband was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May, and he died at the end of August. He'd had some stomach pain in the "hole area right in the center of his ribs" but it would go away with Advil, so he ignored it for several months. In May, he had the pain, and it lasted for almost a week, so he went to the doctor. After a CT scan and an ECRP (?), he was diagnosed with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer. He did the chemo, everything, but it was too far along and the prognosis was poor, so he quit chemo, went into hospice and died a week later. It's a nasty cancer.
I have a cousin who was bulimic for about 20 years. She was diagnosed with esophegeal cancer and is currently in remission, but the odds aren't in her favor, unfortunately.
tamiznluv...I'm glad you had 3 years with your husband after his diagnosis...My husband's time went by so fast. But he was active right up until the end. He was never bedridden...In some ways this made his eventual death "harder" for me to deal with and handle etc...I allowed myself to be "fooled" into thinking that he would be "okay" and "around" for a lot longer...I just went through this with my son and his death too. (Although my son was bedridden most of the time at the end.)...My son's mind stayed "sharp" and "witty" and this always gave me "hope!"...Guess I'm just not good at preparing for death. (Unless someone is obviously going to "leave." And the "signs" are easy to see and apparent.) How about you?
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PLUS, the only thing that drove hubby to the primary again was that the "little purple pill" the doc had given him for the symptoms he went for initially, (couldn't swallow food) made them worse and that lead to going for a surgical looksee. 
