It’s funny, when my mom was first diagnosed 6 weeks ago I avoided this sub like the plague. Im not sure why exactly outside of maybe it made it feel too real? But now after her passing and reading through the comments and testimonies I’ve never really felt more understood.

On July 14 2025 my (31F) mother (64 yo) woke up jaundiced. Prior to that, she was only experiencing some mild acid reflux. Scans of course showed pancreatic cancer with liver and lung Mets with a duodenal blockage. And ERCP was tried and failed so they placed and internal external biliary drain and an internal GJ stent. She was due to start palliative chemo 2 weeks following.

Unfortunately she developed an Infection in her biliary ducts even with meticulous drain care that was initially responsive to oral abx, however, 3 days after her final dose of her 7 day course she developed septic shock, oddly enough in the waiting room for her first round of chemo. This resulted in another IP stay for IV abx. As the doctors explained, any time there are foreign bodies (her drain) where there’s an infection, the infection can get “stuck” and not be totally killed off. We pushed her chemo back 14 days as that’s how long she needed between both IV and oral abx at discharge to finally start chemo.

Things were looking better and she was improving reasonably quickly and we were discharged home with hope, however, 1.5 days after being home, she nearly collapsed in mine and my dads arms while we were assisting her to the bathroom. Back to the ER we went, this time diagnosed with a blood clot in her lungs. It was at this point we had a very really conversation as a family together with her oncologist that she decided to transition to hospice/ comfort measures only.

6 days after being admitted for the 3rd time, and 6 weeks and 1 day after her diagnosis she was gone.

While there are a slew of emotions and the last 6 weeks have felt like a fever dream, I can say in her final days we kept her comfortable and out of pain and that is all that she wanted. There are moments during this experience I worry I did something wrong, or there’s something I could have done better as her primary care taker and I try to quiet those thoughts. But I do hold on to keeping her out of pain and making those decisions for her when she couldn’t, even if it was extremely difficult to continue to increase the dosages and frequency of her pain and anxiety medications at the very end. I feel very lucky to have developed such trusting relationships with her nurses, doctors and entire care team that I could give full trust to their recommendations.

This disease is absolutely horrific and it has shattered my family. But reading this sub has helped me feel not so alone and misunderstood in the agony. Sending love to all, give yourself grace, feel the sun on your skin and make sure you’re drinking water. Peace and love ❤️

Hi, I am from the Philippines. My mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2023 it was already in stage 4 as the doctor told us. in 2024 She underwent chemotherapy, after that there was no sign that the tumor was getting smaller. Hence, she underwent 28 radiation therapy she was able to complete her Radiation in November 2024.

After the radiation she underwent a CT scan, the result was that the tumor was slightly got smaller, and her CA 19-19 was at 70. However, after her follow up check up this August of 2025 her CA 19-19 significantly increased to 241. Now, her doctor recommended for her to undergo chemotherapy again.

It was just saddening we thought that her health will continue to improve already. Because after her radiation her appetite is getting back to normal and she started gaining some weight and she was not having those episode of muscle numbness (my mon never felt pain in her stomach, just muscle numbness on her entire body).

Now, I am wondering whether my mom would able to survive her second chemotherapy, I am afraid of the effect of it to my mom, the nausea, the vomiting, and the feeling of being week after the session.

I know she is more stronger now than the first time she underwent her first chemotherapy. But my mom is already 74. I still want to spoil her as much as I can. I want her to experience life without stress, with her age she should be just enjoying her life and not to battle with it.

Hi, my husband will have his second chemo treatment next week. He is on the Prism trial with possible quemliclustat + nab-paclitaxel and gemcitabine. I’ve read here that cold therapy in the form of gloves and boots can direct the chemo away from extremities to prevent neuropathy. I’m surprised at a center like Moores at UCSD doesn’t offer it! I’m wondering how I’m going to manage the logistics such as keeping the stuff frozen, I wonder if it’s ok to ask the infusion center to store them for us? Any tips or experiences? Thanks!

Any insight on interpreting the genetic test results performed on a biopsy sample from.my Moms tumor would be welcome.

I know it is a kras g12d mutation, but beyond that it isn't obvious what is dignificant or not.

This was done by the Caris testing lab. They were excellent to work with.