Beauty In The Face Of Pancreatic Cancer

Introduction

When I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2010, I didn’t know much about it. It was hard for me to find information about this disease because there are few survivors who write books or speak openly about their experiences. But now that I live in what some doctors called “the second golden age of cancer treatment,” we have many more options available to us. With my family’s support and my own determination, I’ve been able to beat this disease and am now 7 years into remission!

My name is Emily. For the past seven years, I have been fighting the good fight against pancreatic cancer.

I will be honest: it has not been easy. There have been many times when I have wanted to give up and surrender to my fate. However, I am a fighter by nature and was raised by a strong woman who taught me how to push through life’s challenges with a positive attitude and determination in every step. And so that is what I have been doing for myself and for my family over these years—fighting like hell!

It’s been a long time since I left school and my son, who is now 20, was only 13 when I was diagnosed.

It’s been a long time since I left school and my son, who is now 20, was only 13 when I was diagnosed. He was in year 9 and had just started high school; he remembers it being a shock to him.

His mum died of cancer when he was 5 and although he has no memory of her, there are photos around the house that show her smiling face.

I’m grateful for the fact that my kids have always been an integral part of my life – they were both at home with me during the whole process (which included surgery) and they learnt a lot about coping with stress while dealing with someone going through cancer treatment.

The hardest thing for them was seeing me get weaker every day as my energy drained away after each round of chemo or radiation therapy but thankfully I found ways to keep myself busy so they didn’t see too much of how much pain I was in physically – usually by keeping busy around the house!

There are a lot of treatments for pancreatic cancer and you need to be an advocate for yourself.

Talk to your doctor
Ask about the success rate of each treatment. Some treatments are better than others.
Ask about side effects, if any, and how they will affect you. For example, some treatments can cause hair loss or nausea.
Ask about cost of each treatment and if there are any financial assistance programs available to help cover costs like travel expenses for clinics outside of your area or other costs associated with taking time off work for treatment.

Of course there have been some bad times, but I have primarily tried to stay positive during my treatment.

I have also worked hard to seek support from others with pancreatic cancer and the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, which helped me through those difficult moments.

Being an advocate for your own treatment is important because no one knows you better than yourself. If something doesn’t feel right or is not working as well as it should be working, don’t be afraid to ask questions or voice concerns. It’s your body and it’s your life—you need to live well so that you can enjoy all that life has to offer!

When my hair fell out from chemotherapy, I had a wig but that felt weird and it irritated my skin, so I decided to go bold with a buzz cut!

When my hair fell out from chemotherapy, I had a wig but that felt weird and it irritated my skin, so I decided to go bold with a buzz cut!
It was a good idea to cut your hair short. Wigs can be comfortable, but sometimes they are not. Hats can also be comfortable, if you have the right one. But they still aren’t quite as nice as having real hair on your head.
The best way is to shave it off completely! It’s quick, easy and painless (unless you accidentally nick yourself). Plus it looks great when you’re done shaving too.”

You need the support of your family and friends when you’re fighting this disease.

You need the support of your family and friends when you’re fighting this disease. They can help you with everything from cooking to taking care of your children and pets, as well as cleaning and other chores around the home. You’re going to be busy enough dealing with chemotherapy treatments, so let them help where they can.

My hope would be that one day no one else has to endure what I’ve endured or worse – die from this terrible disease.

I have been a lifelong dreamer and now I am a survivor!

You can make it through even the worst diagnosis by staying positive, seeking out support and being an advocate for your own treatment

With a positive attitude and support from family, friends and loved ones, you can make it through even the worst diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. It is important to remember that you are not alone in this fight, and many people will help you along the way.

Stay strong by seeking out a support group or therapist who can help with coping techniques and communication skills. A good therapist will also be able to give you advice on where to find resources for living with cancer, as well as information about fighting back against stigma or discrimination against those who have been diagnosed with this disease.

You should also become an advocate for your own treatment by making sure that everything is done correctly each step of the way—from diagnosing your condition all the way through recovery—so nothing gets overlooked along the way. Your health care providers may not always tell patients everything they need to know about their condition; therefore it’s up to us as patients ourselves (and our loved ones) to keep asking questions until we’re satisfied with our answers!

Conclusion

I hope that you have a positive outlook on life and remember to look for the beauty in the faces around you. Most importantly, I want everyone to know that I will never give up on fighting this disease!