Accept Diagnosis?

hwh1 · New User Joined: 28 Sep 2007 Posts: 6

Hi everyone,
Last two months, my father was admitted and he has got PC. And the doctor suspected it to have metastasized to liver. Then, because that it is from a private hospital, we have moved my father to govt hospital because of the high treatment cost.

They have done two months of investigation and until now they still cant confirm whether if it is PC. Biospy failed to verify. I am angry but because of the culture of the govt hospital here, we have to accept the fact.

After two months of waiting, and the doctor has roughly spoken to me and he will be meeting us officially again next Monday to suggest ways to tackle. I think he is going to ask to undergo radiology or surgery.

I just wanted to get some opinion from anyone of you there, if we should advice my father to accept the treatment/diagnosis.
I know some of the alternatives yields some result, I am really unsure.

Please suggest anything to me. I will be more than willing to listen and try ways to prolong his life.

Thanks a lot.

Regards
Mac

freeio · Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2007 8:08 pm Post subject: Even with the best of care...

Mac,

I am so sorry to hear about your father. Pancreatic cancer is a difficult diagnosis, both to get right in the first place, and if that is the diagnosis, to do much about it. In my case, the biopsies kept coming back negative for PC, but it turned out that after they performed the Whipple procedure surgery, the pathologist found cancer cells in the bile duct where it goes through the pancreas, the lymph nodes, and nerve bundles. So the initial tests were wrong.

The problem is that finding the cancer cells using the usual technology is not easy. The tumor can be relatively small, and so a needle biopsy (performed during an ERCP or other test) can miss it completely. My main tumor was all of 1 cm across, and yet that is nearly a billion cells, and that much can spread all over in a hurry.

My normal advice is to go to the best cancer center you can find, as the best way to get a quick diagnosis, and the proper care for whatever it turns out to be. Maybe it is cancer and maybe it is not, but in either case, your father needs the best care to come out of this with a hope of recovery.

Of course cost fits into this as well. Depending upon where you are, there may be excellent opportunities that may not be obvious. As a resident of the State of Alabama, I went to Kirklin Clinic (Part of the University of Alabama, Birmingham, Hospital) and they handle such cases both as fee for payment and charity care. If there are payment problems, there are social workers on staff to connect the patient with the proper care at some affordable cost. In my case, I could probably have gotten into about the same program through the Veterans Administration Hospital which is next door to UAB Hospital, since I qualified for that as a veteran. So sometimes there are opportunities which may not be obvious initially. Check with their social workers up-front, as they know their way around the system.

I wish you and your father the best. I am three years since my diagnosis with pancreatic adenocarcinoma, and am still alive enough to sit in front of this computer and write. You might want to check out my cancerr blog listed below, as I have chronicled my entire way through the process.

Best Wishes,

Marty
_________________
-------------------------------------------------
whipple procedure, Oct. 21, 2004
28 days of radiation
56 days of Chemo using Xeloda
diagnosed as progressive recurrent pancreatic adenocarcinoma (Stage IV) Jun. 20, 2006
was treated with gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and tarceva, which all failed.
Cancer blog: http://diehlmartin.com/cancer.html

In · Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 4:33 am Post subject: Re: Accept Diagnosis?

Mac,

I'm so sorry about your Dad. Does the Gov Hospitla have the reports and details from the priviate Hospital.?? Is there anyway you can get copys of them?? maybe this will help- plus get a move on with treatments etc. It might make the Gov Hospital realise you are serious about this- and look into it better. (malpractice, or mis diagnosis etc).

Anyway- probably didn't help any. But Iam thinking of you both- and hope there is some news of tretment or at least some news soon.

Let us know how things go.

Inica
_________________
Thinking of you Inica

*Administrator*

~Nose Cancer~
~Car Accident- Broken Back, Ribs, Spleen
Sternum~
~Continous Cervical Cancer~

My Story-
http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=6731

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9 Lives and still kicking Smile

hwh1 · New User Joined: 28 Sep 2007 Posts: 6

Hi All,
It has been two months I was too busy bringing my father for check up in the govt hospital. And we have got to know the cancer cause - originated from Liver and metastasized to pancreas and maglinant ulser in stomach.
And he has just left on Oct 24, 2007. On that week, I only get to know all this facts from the doctor and I think that the diagnosis was just too slow. 3 biopsys done and that already taken 2 months.

When maglinant ulser burst on Oct 21, 2007, nothing can be done, I can only painfully watched him sufferring. Vomitted blood/everything turned bad. He wanted to talk us for the last time, but he just can't at that point of time. He is just too ill. Sad

All these while he has been active and he is still working eventhough he is 63. But when the cancer attacked, just barely two months plus - enough to keep him away from forever. My only regret is that I should have keep him retired some years earlier. Tears and sorrow may not be useful anymore, but everything about my dad will be in my heart forever.

My prayers to freeio/Marty and to my beloved father. May you rest peacefully.

I will be in this forum to share anything that I had.
Time is precious and appreciate with your loved ones.

Mac

brainman · Posted: Tue Oct 30, 2007 2:24 am Post subject: Re: Accept Diagnosis?

Mac, I am very sorry about your father. My father died from Leukemia just over one year ago. He was not in much pain so we did get to enjoy his last days a little more than you and your father. I do hope that you have some happy memories from the past 2 months.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
_________________
Jim
Site Administrator and long-term cancer survivor
1992 Astrocytoma grade 2, left motor strip
2005 Recurrence this time said to be an Oligodendoglioma grade 3, same location.
My Story Part 1: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?p=7350
My Story Part 2: http://cancerforums.net/viewtopic.php?t=8029
Blog http://jimhawkinsport.blogspot.com/

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