Finally the Treatment Begins for my Stage 4 pancreatic cancer

 Ok, so I have a bit of catching up to do.  My biopsy was done last Tuesday, but I did not get results until this Monday, Nov 30th.  As anticipated, and is true in 93% of cases. it is the bad kind which is called PDA. Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.  I prefer the older acronym meaning public displays of affection. lol

It is quite advanced and a common tumor marker Ca19-9 (blood test) was done.  0-37 in normal.  Mine was 37,000.  The highest level I have seen in literature.  Lucky me, a record holder.  This test will be repeated many times as my treatment progresses as it is an indicator of the success of chemotherapy.  The way I look at it, is mine is so high that can only go down. lol

Next Tuesday, Dec. 8th I get a 'port" installed on my upper chest to access a large vein in my neck. Through this chemo will be given and blood drawn on into the future.  Tuesday afternoon I get a CT scan of my chest and abdomen to determine the extent of metastasis. I all ready know it has spread through out my liver.  I am not expecting good news based on my high Ca19-9 level.  

Then the next day, Weds. I get my first 4 hour infusion of four chemo agents.  In case you are interested the protocol is called FOLFIRINOX.  I have selected this protocol because it is the most aggressive therapy.  It also is the one that makes you the sickest (natch). Every 2 weeks you get a four hour infusion for a total of 15 infusions if it can be tolerated and doesn't kill you.  That's at least 30 weeks of treatment or around 7 months.  Hopefully this treatment will extend my life so I can attend my son Eric's HS graduation in June. 

Remember I said before if you get no treatment life expectancy is 3 months.  I've all ready used up a good bit of that time patiently waiting for the insurance approved cascade of ever more expensive diagnostic imaging. Things would have been very different if my GI doc had ordered a Ca19-9 early on when I first began experiencing symptoms in August.  But I am trying not to look in the rearview mirror.     

I'll let you in on a little inside joke. A number of you have called this disease insidious and rightly so.  Because it is not me I have given this cancer the name Sid, as in inSIDious.  Of course I hope for the very best outcome, but I am realistic as the deck is heavily stacked against me. I am taking the time to get my affairs in order and spend time with as many of my loved ones as is possible.  I've taken some pre-chemo photos and really don't look any different. (still fat). As I say every day, "today I look as good as I ever will." lol  I am still eating and sleeping well.  Enjoying everyday and spreading the love.