Connie Verbruggen

17 years ago, I was diagnosed with Breast Cancer (stage 3, grade 4), with no family history of the disease.  I was proud to report for 17 years, that I was a survivor!!!... until Easter Sunday, 2017.

On Easter, I found myself yellow, with a blood sugar of 526. After 6 days inpatient in the hospital, they shared that I again, had Cancer.... that "C" word you never want to hear even once, and I was now hearing it again. This time, Pancreatic Cancer.  

I was referred to Froedtert Hospital in Milwaukee, where I spent the next 5 days outpatient, seeing doctors, having scans and tests, and discussing next steps. The GOOD NEWS is that my cancer is resectable, and is totally treatable.

I joined a trial that uses Doxycycline to kill Cancer Stem Cells.  (HAVE AT IT DOXY!)  They believe my cancer(s), (BOTH), have been stem cell related.

I will have radiation daily for 28 days and chemo weekly during these same weeks, followed by Whipple surgery (an extensive but proven surgery!) For more info, please ask Siri or Google :).  After surgery comes 4-6 more months of two kinds of chemo, after which I hope to, once AGAIN, be cancer free for NYE!  I am looking forward a big NYE Party!  Won't you join me???

Thanks to my awesome children (Kaiti and Pete), my siblings, friends, extended family, and Angels (Todd, Mom, Dad, and more....) for your continued support, thoughts, and prayers!  I love you all!