Jennifer - My Story: March 2002-Feb-2007

I remember the first episode of pain. Two bites into a piece of Pizza and something felt really wrong in my upper abdomen. I was alarmed, but I did not want to upset my two young sons. We were at a Pizza Hut, and I certainly did not want to make a scene. I motioned to my husband that we really needed to leave.

The feeling passed, only to return again about a week later. I made an appointment to see my Doctor. She knew I did not complain about much, so she had some tests ordered. H Pylori came back negative and she prescribed Ranitidine.

Two weeks later, the pain returned. This time it was excruciating...to the point where I literally fell to the floor. It radiated into my back and it was nothing I had ever felt before. My husband brought me to the ER, and they controlled the pain with Demerol. Ct scan came back negative, and nothing in the bloodwork indicated anything in particular. By this time I had also developed a terrible itch across my chest on my forearms, and face. No one knew what that was about either.

I continued to function on the most part. I was losing weight,(40 pounds), mainly because I just couldn’t eat without feeling very full. I started to have the pain attacks quite regularly, and was finally told it was pancreatitis.

The next step was to go through a series of tests (ERCP) and a cat scan (this time with dye/contrast). A tumor was revealed on the tail of my pancreas. It was assumed to be a harmless pseudocyst. The specialist believed that perhaps it was a marker left from having had pancreatitis that might have been brought on by gallbladder issues. Out came my gallbladder. Unfortunately, I continued to have the attacks, and the itching was unbearable. I believe they hesitated to be aggressive at first, because I just did not fit the “profile” of P.C patient. I was only 40 years old, and my lifestyle was very moderate all around.

The decision was made to proceed with surgery to remove the cyst, as now they believed it might just turn “nasty” since the gallbladder surgery did not help dissolve it. The surgeon was surprised to see what the surgery revealed. Up until that point, I don’t think anyone could account for the amount of pain I was in. They removed ½ my pancreas, my spleen and part of my stomach, as the tumor was now twisted around those organs. Pathology report came two weeks later….it was cancer. To be exact: “Cystadenocarcinoma.” A slow growing ,rare type of cancer. I will never know how I got to be so lucky, when P.C rarely gives anyone who has it much of a chance.

That was almost three years ago come June. The first year of recovery was quite difficult because I was desperate to be better for the sake of my kids and my wonderful husband. I tried returning to work at the 6 month mark, but my energy level was just no there. I still have digestive issues, but I deal with that by watching what I eat. I was diagnosed with Diabetes three months ago…but, it wasn’t really a surprise as I was told it might happen.

I don’t t know if anyone would understand this, but sometimes it is difficult being a SURVIVOR. There are so many emotions involved. I remember being so strong and matter of fact throughout the process, but I literally crashed when my body was actually feeling better. The gravity of what I had actually been through overwhelmed me. My mind was pretty angry at my body for betraying me, and I fell into an anxious, depressed state. I am happy to say I did get help to get me through that, and today I am much better. I am back to work full time, my husband has finally been able to relax a little, and the kids are growing up in front of my eyes…what more can I ask for? I will never be the same, but I am here to see what I can become.