How excruciating back pain lead to a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer
Lisa had excruciating back pain but related it to the fact she was a runner.\xa0 She went to the Dr and because she was also having digestive issues and just didn't feel "right." It was decided she would also get an appointment with a GI Dr.\xa0 Xray on her back didn't show anything so she tried pain management while trying to make an appointment with her gastrologist.\xa0 Due to COVID she wasn't able to get an appointment right away.\xa0 During her ultrasound she looked up at the screen and saw nothing but her pancreas.\xa0 She had a horrible feeling and she remembered a colleague mentioning his wife was a medical student and she would always say "don't F with the pancreas."\xa0 When she didn't hear back from the Dr she felt everything must be ok.\xa0 They finally got back to her and said we found something, we need to get in there right away. It took two weeks to get the biopsy and that waiting time felt like an eternity. Getting the news from a resident was a horrible experience.\xa0 She hadn't heard from her gastrologist and felt left trying to figure out what she was going to do at that point.\xa0 Her relationship with her Dr was filled with mistrust.\xa0 \xa0Things started to look up when her company provided her with information about a group called Pinnacle Care.\xa0 They help people who receive a devastating\xa0 diagnoses and helps manage the medical world.\xa0 Lisa openly talks about chemotherapy, trying to re learn your body again in regards to eating and taking the enzymes. Her family and friends were a great support during this time, support came from people she never met.\xa0 Trying to live life with a new normalcy.\xa0 3 things -Don't google! Reach out to PanCAN Patient Services for great resources; understand your treatment, do not be afraid to ask your Dr over and over again why are you doing this; you have to believe you are in that 11%, you have to have that mindset that says "I'm in that 11% and never let go of that, never let anyone tell you, you are not. This episode of Living Hope is dedicated to fellow pancreatic cancer survivor Jenna James.