My Story is about My daddy<\/p>\n
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This event took place from 1 June 2014 to 13 May 2015<\/p>\n
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The Discovery<\/p>\n
June 1, 2014 my healthy 53 year old daddy had his first pain. At the ED, we heard the words that changed our lives forever \u201ca mass on your pancreas.\u201d The hospital took a biopsy and didn\u2019t get any positive cells so they said they had mistakenly diagnosed this and it was pancreatitis. They sent him home with suggestions on how to prevent flair ups. In the 3 months after that, he was in pain on and off and we went to a bigger more specialized hospital where they did multiple ERCPs and a total of 7 tests before getting a positive cell. My boyfriend at the time walked into my parents house to ask for my hand in marriage about 5 minutes after the doctor called him to deliver the news of the positive cells.<\/p>\n
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This is My Story<\/p>\n
We traveled 2 hours away where in September 2014, he had the Whipple and vein resection done. The surgeon told us there was a 90% chance he would not make it. When this news was told to my dad, his response was I have a 10% chance. I can do this. A few weeks later, I got engaged and I knew I wanted to quickly get married because of his diagnosis. We got married in November 2014 and in the 2 months from my dads surgery to my wedding day, he lost so much weight and began to look so weak. March 2015, the ascites started and my dad started going to the hospital twice a week to get it drained. We knew this was bad but we didn\u2019t give up fighting for him and with him. April 2015, he had blood in his stool and he went back to the hospital where the admitted him and eventually sent him home on hospice. A former college football player, 54 years old now on his death bed. We watched him waste away into nothing but bones. My brother, my mom, my husband, and I spent everyday soaking up every moment we could with him. On May 13, 2015 my daddy peacefully passed away with my mom, my brother, the hospice nurse, and myself by his side. I found out I was pregnant 2 weeks later and my daughter which would have been my dads first grandchild was born exactly 8 months after he passed. My brother is now married to my dads hospice nurse. Losing my dad at 24 years old shifted my life in a way I will never recover from. Pancreatic cancer took the strongest man I have ever known and if my story can help 1 person, I will be fulfilled in my life. Advocate for your loved ones, educate others on this awful disease!<\/p>\n
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The Impact of Time<\/p>\n
I know now just how important time is. I am always wishing for just one more moment. Time is so important.<\/p>\n
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