Being Diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer...

Through the years I have had the privilege of "meeting" so many amazing souls along this cancer road, and today it is an honor to welcome just one of those amazing warriors to this place.  Ted Kern's diagnosis with pancreatic cancer changed his life and that of his family.  And what he has done with that life inspires. 

From the beautiful north woods state of Maine to this southern front porch in Texas...

... so glad that Ted is sharing his story.  It is an encouragement for all who are walking this road, for it is hope, it is perseverance, it is joy...

Thank you Ted, you are a light in the dark, and I am blessed to call you friend.



BEING DIAGNOSED WITH PANCREATIC CANCER
                                                                            by Ted Kern

My cancer story began in July 2014 when I was admitted to my local hospital with acute diverticulitis. This was my second bout. I knew the drill. After three days of IV antibiotics my infection appeared to have cleared. The morning I was scheduled to go home, I had a CT scan to make sure.

The infection was gone, but the doctor blindsided me when he said the MRI picked up what looked like a mass on the tail of my pancreas. He referred me to Maine Medical Center, where they performed what seemed like a whirlwind of biopsies and diagnostic tests.

The diagnosis was stage 2-B adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. I was in shock. The only thing that might have been a warning sign that something was wrong was some slight back pain I’d been experiencing. Nothing else. It truly is a silent disease. I had surgery in late August to remove one-third of my pancreas, as well as my spleen and 26 lymph nodes surrounding the pancreatic region. All lymph nodes were reported as clean with no sign of any cancer spreading to other organs. 

It was recommended that I start chemotherapy in early October 2014. A combination of Gemsar and Abraxane was administered twice a month over six months. My next CT scan in early Nov 2014 showed six very small spots less than .5 millimeters on my liver. A liver biopsy a few weeks later tagged  them as “ill defined” versus malignant cancer cells. Although I was concerned about it at the time, I had to move forward to get my health and business back in order. I finished round one of chemo in early April 2015 and started to feel great again. I regained my strength, appetite and hair!

From May through August 2015 I continued to have monthly blood tests. Please note: I never reported a pancreatic tumor marker above 50 from the time my tumor was diagnosed in August 2014 thru August 2015. I thought I had truly dodged this deadly PC cancer bullet — a health miracle. 
 

Unfortunately, in September 2015 my blood test revealed an elevated tumor marker count of 250. It was very concerning to hear this a year after my tumor was removed.

My oncologist recommended I move my next CT scan up to Nov 1^st instead of Dec 1^st 2015. The results described a rapid spreading of pancreatic cancer to my liver with a new tumor count of 2500! In less than 60 days the six tiny liver spots turned into 10-15 tumors ranging in size from a green pea to a quarter.

I was devastated when my oncologist confirmed I officially have metastatic pancreatic cancer. I was told it was now stage 4 and non-curable.

Once I regained my senses and took a deep breath I asked the inevitable question “How much time do I have left?” Rather than provide a specific timeline my oncologist recommended I start a much more aggressive chemotherapy regimen immediately. I was prescribed 5-FU every two weeks for up to six months assuming my body could handle this  toxic chemo program.

The good news is my tumor markers started to drop by early January 2016. They went from a high of 2,500 to 1,100 and again in February from 1,100 to 250 until I hit the 5-FU wall mid-February 2016. I developed an acute infection in my small intestine and was back in the hospital for four days with intravenous IV therapy again. Please note 5-FU typically can destroy healthy cells in your GI tract, which was the case for me after three months of treatment.

I took a 5-FU chemotherapy break and then finished up with two more lower dose rounds in March and early April 2016.

My tumor markers are now at an all-time low of 71 and I feel great again post chemo regimen round two.

I also radically changed my diet to remove all red meats and most dairy products and I greatly reduced my sugar intake. In addition I power walk 5K every morning between 6-7 AM.  I feel a  combination of healthy eating and exercise is vital while doing chemo. I also pray every day and participate in Reiki and therapeutic massages as my schedule permits.  I recently started attending a “Living with Metastatic Cancer Support Group” thru the Cancer Community Center. All are very helpful in the healing process.

In closing, I promised my family and myself two very important action items moving forward.

1)    Choose my top three bucket list action items, then do them as soon as possible.

2)   Choose not to be blindsided by round three of chemo if there is another resurgence of pancreatic cancer.

 Regarding #1. I am well on my way after a wonderful Florida vacation getaway with my wife.

Regarding #2. I had the good fortune to learn about the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (Pan Can) from my brother, who attended a Pan Can fundraiser in Massachusetts in February 2015. I am urging all readers who have pancreatic cancer or know of anyone with it to register with The Pancreatic Cancer Network “Know Your Tumor Program” at www. pancan.org. It is an incredible resource for anyone diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer.

Another helpful resource is the Pancreatic Cancer Journey blog at pancreaticcancerjourney.com.  Jane Schraceo, who writes the blog, has been extremely supportive and a huge advocate in helping folks diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Many people think that if you’ve been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, you’ve been handed a death sentence. I don’t. I made the decision to learn as much as I could about my cancer and all available resources. I try to keep a positive attitude and not sit around and stew on negative thoughts.

Every day I make sure I get out and do a healthy activity.  Sometimes it’s meditation and sometimes it’s a body massage. Most days it’s a nice long walk. As I mentioned, I start every morning with a 5-K walk. I call it my minimum daily walk. It does wonders for the body, mind, and spirit.

Good Health & God Bless

Ted Kern

P.S.  Scan Results as of 6-3-16 show Ted's liver Tumors have shrunk 50%  🏀

The Perfect Storm

Mom was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer on November 16, 2010.  From the onset we knew she was terminal.  Well, that was the doctor's prognosis.  We believed there was always the Miracle option.  The statistics are grim, but even so, close to 5% of pancreatic cancer patients survive 5 years.  We agreed that would be our Miracle.  Survival.  Living.  Loving.  As long as God deemed fit.

Mom lived 12 months and 3 weeks from the time of her diagnosis. 

Sometime during her fight, she became rather concerned, almost morbidly so, with how this cancer would actually end her life.  I had to remind myself, often, that she's a nurse and with her medical background it was only natural that she would be fixated with the course of the disease.  I am finding out however, that many people who are given a terminal diagnosis wonder the same thing.  Just how exactly is my life going to end?  Will it be painful?  Will I be weak with nausea and vomiting?  Will I know my loved ones right up to the end?  Where will the cancer spread?  How mobile will I be?  Will I be ready for death? What will it be like? Will I know I'm dying?

Morbid questions.  Agreed.  But honest, nonetheless.  Mom even asked her doctor about 3 months ago what he thought about her impending death.  Just how would she die?  Left him speechless for a minute or two, then he quietly looked her in the eye and said, I can answer that.  I held my breath, expecting some horrific description.  A long pause, and then he said, I don't really know... depends on so many variables.

Mom was let down for a day or two.  I think she really wanted to know what to prepare for.  I mean, real specifics.  And there is probably no doctor worth his salt that could predict what mom's last few days would be like.

In our opinion, mom's death was a result of The Perfect Storm.  Not one, not two, but so many events that funneled down together into too few days, laying seige on her precious body.  An assault so detrimental there was no chance of recovery.

Yes, the death certificate says her cause of death was Pancreatic Cancer. 

And I guess that's the truth.   But that's too simple.  What happened to mom's body, the real cause of her death was a culmination of medical crises that simply overwhelmed her weakening reserves.

That Perfect Storm began with the pancreatic cancer.  In treating it, mom fought hard, with radiation and chemotherapy.  The side effects from treatment were brutal on her body.  The chemotherapy continued to knock her blood counts down each cycle.  This last time, the white blood cell count and platelets bottomed out like never before.  With her white blood count so low, her immune system was drastically weakened and she picked up a nasty pneumonia bacteria that infiltrated both lungs in a matter of hours.  And with her platelets so low, that seemingly innocent slip against the coffee table the Saturday after Thanksgiving, caused a horrendous bruise on her hip that turned into a virulent strain of cellulitis within a few days.  The two infections caused a massive strain on mom's body.  Despite 3 potent antibiotics and numerous blood transfusions, her body just couldn't recover.  Her blood glucose began dropping, giving way to heart arrythmias and finally kidney failure.

The Storm lasted 7 days.

Mom now has the answers that her doctors couldn't give her.  I wish she could part the veil just once, and tell us what she experienced as she faced this last walk on her journey.  And then smile once more for us.  My heart is greedy.

I can share what we know.

Was there pain?  Oh yes, there was.  It is one of the hardest memories to endure.  The nurses and doctors increased the morphine almost hourly to keep her comfortable, and I know they succeeded almost completely.  As the doses increased she slept more and more.  It was blissful oblivion, and one of us kept vigil the entire week to make sure she never woke up alone.

Was there nausea? vomiting?  To our everlasting relief, there was none.  As a matter of fact, in the early days of that week, mom's appetite actually returned and she savored desserts with delight.  The last morsel of food that she ate was a brownie delivered by a sweet friend.   So very grateful for these small blessings.

 How mobile was she?  Not very.  The pneumonia made her so weak, and the bruising/cellulitis on her hip was so painful, that moving around wasn't high on her agenda.  As she weakened and the morphine increased, she became bed-bound for the last 4 days.  But she was comfortable there, with a beautiful window view of the sky and front gardens.  The only thing better, would have been to be able to take her home...

Did she know her loved ones up to the end?  An emphatic YES.  Even with the morphine induced slumber, when she woke, she recognized us and spoke specifically, calling us by name.  As death neared, her ability to speak faded, but not the acknowledgement.  She would squeeze our hands and nod her head.  When my brother arrived from Houston, just 18 hours before her death, she smiled in greeting and said, "Oh, you're here."  She sank back into sleep and woke several hours later to smile at him again and say, "I love you."   Yes, she knew us all, right up until the end.  I can't begin to express the myriad of emotions we all experienced.  But the power of her love for each of us kept us connected with her in a way that I will always, always hold close.

Did she know death was near?  I believe she did.  And she was at peace.  We were all a mess, but around her, there was a reverence and acceptance that was unfathomable.  A readiness to lay down this tired body and walk on into the next journey with complete assurance.  We are still all a mess, but the memories we hold of those last days are filled with a calm and a purpose. 

That would be my memory of her passing.  A peacefulness that can't be contained.  It spills over onto our hurting hearts constantly.  I think that would be her message to those following behind.  No matter where the journey has brought you from, the true Miracle is in this passage to where you are going...

That is our miracle.  We can now Hope with Confidence that our paths will cross and join again one day as our journey brings us all to the place of such Peace we can only imagine....