Martin

My Story is about My cancer diagnosis and subsequent treatment

This event took place from 05/06/2024 to 11/11/2025

The Discovery

Returned to Ireland after spending 3 weeks holiday with my wife in Spain. I had a routine 2 yearly abdominal scan as I have too much iron.
Undetermined spot seen on side of my pancreas. Then urgent CT but still undetermined. Urgent MRI still undetermined. Urgent US scan with camera and biopsy. Consultant thought it was cancer. After case conference in hospital they rang to say it wasn’t cancer but still didn’t know. Then histology confirmed PanCan. Appointment with surgeon in St.Vincent’s hospital, Dublin 1 week later. Urgent operation required. He gave me 3 months to live without surgery but only because I gad no symptoms at all. I asked if I wait for symptoms to appear and then operate he replied it would be too late, perhaps only 3 weeks of life then.
Surgery the following week. Removed my spleen and 65% of my pancreas. Surgeon reported it was caught very early with no spread to the margins or 16 lymph nodes tested.
2 weeks recuperation in hospital and then discharged with pancreatic drain from my wound. I drained and monitored drainage daily and had it removed after 4 weeks.
Dressings etc looked after by our Public Health Nurse weekly until drain removed.
I was offered 6 months of mild chemo but I declined.
Now doing well but developed a sizable abdominal hernia at the site of the initial surgery probably due to a house move soon after surgery. This was repaired by my brilliant surgeon
Mr. DONAL MAGUIRE. Another large scar but over it now. I stopped enzyme therapy about 3 months ago but I remain on prophylactic antibiotics for life.
Early detection and awareness by my radiologist EMER WALSH and by my gastroentrologist
Mr DONAL TIGHE, both of Mayo University Hospital, Castlebar, saved my life.
I can’t thank all of the health care professionals and ancillary service staff at Mayo University Hospital and St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin for their unstinting skill, care and attention during what was a terrible ordeal for our family.
AWARENESS AND EARLY DETECTION ARE THE KEYS TO BEATING THIS DEADLY DISEASE.

This is My Story

The Impact of Time

I think I have said it all above.