My first husband and I spent an adventurous ten years
together before he moved on to the next woman and I went mad. We had two kids together, and they love their
pop dearly.
Stomach pain took him to the doctor where they found gall
stones and saw a shadow behind the gall bladder. He has been diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer,
and he will go in for surgery this noon.
The cancer has not metastisized into the lymph nodes, and surgery will
take out the gall bladder, the spleen, and the pancreas.
The information offered by Pancreatic
Cancer.org is dismal.
“Each year more than 40,000
people in the United States are diagnosed with adenocarcinoma of the pancreas
and more than twice that in Europe. Most of these people will have passed away
by the end of the first year. The incidence of pancreatic cancer increases with
age; most people are between the ages of 60 to 80 when they receive the
diagnosis. Men have tended to be over-represented, though in recent years the
gap between men and women has shrunk, possibly due to increased cigarette
smoking among women. In the U.S., pancreatic cancer is 9th or 10th most
commonly diagnosed cancer (depending on gender), but the fourth leading cause
of cancer death in men and women. The median survival period from the time of
diagnosis until demise is arguably the worst of any of the cancers. The median
survival for untreated advanced cancer of the pancreas is about 3 1/2 months;
with good treatment this increases to about six months.”
If surgery is a viable alternative,
they say that “…The survival of patients who received the Whipple (surgical)
procedure in one study (from a very experienced Johns Hopkins team) were
reported out in 1995 as a 21% five-year survival rate, with a median survival
of 15.5 months.”
Lessa said something wonderful to the Geezer this week when
she found out about her Pop, “After all these years, I wished I had gotten to
know you better.
When she told that to me, I replied, “He’s a wonderful guy.”
“Yes, he is,” she agreed.
- Keeping those on the east coast in my thoughts.
So very sorry, Mage. I have no words.
ReplyDeleteLove your 1969 dress! I had some like that, but I was pregnant that year, and as a short woman carrying a large baby....
ReplyDeleteI am sorry to hear about your kids' pop. It shouldn't happen to anyone.
Very nice blog. Hope your ex beats the odds. Also glad that you didn't stay mad.
ReplyDeleteToo bad and too sad. Not sure I would do the surgery with such terrible prognosis. My dear friend died within months after his surgery.
ReplyDeleteThis ugly touches so many we know and makes us feel so hopeless. I can say nothing that you have not heard, except county your blessings.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry Mage. It's so painful to see those people who lived our lives with us fall prey to such diseases.
ReplyDeleteMage I'm so sorry to hear this. I wish he and your girls have the strength to cope.
ReplyDeleteMy neighbor died of pancreatic cancer. It was so difficult and painful. I'm so sorry.
ReplyDeleteOkay confess, which book about WWII.
ReplyDeleteYou look so mod in the photo. Can you believe we ever wore those tent dresses.
Too bad about your EX. Pancreatic cancer is fourth in deaths now. Very sad. Also shows we should not wait to get to know someone.
I am so happy I met you this past year. You and G are great people. I will never forget the first time I saw you standing in your doorway assuring Wendy you were not a serial killer. Dianne
Young and glamorous.
ReplyDeleteWe thought we would live
forever.
And now,most days, forever stares us in the face.
best of luck, dearest Mage, to him, family...
ReplyDeletebut, yes! you are so groovy cool in that dress! the color is sublime. Also: ditto for the question--which WWII book???
xoxo c!