Joyce Eddy

Welcome to Mom's Caring Bridge website. Mom  was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer on February 18, 2017 after presenting to the Emergency Room with dangerously low potassium levels.  After admission to the hospital for fluids and testing, Mom received a diagnosis of adenocardinoma of the pancreas. Pancreatic cancer. The CT scan showed a IPMN (Intraductal papillary mucinous) tumor in the center of the pancreas that was seemingly resectable and surgery was an option - Hallelujah! An endoscopic ultrasound confirmed the findings. Mom underwent a  total pancreatectomy on March 9,  2017 at Honor Shea Hospital in Scottsdale AZ. The surgery was an adaptation from a scheduled Whipple Procedure when cancer cells were located outside of the immediate turmor and in the bile duct. The surgeon, Dr. Albert Amini,  is confident that the operation removed the cancer. Mom recovered at hospital for 10 days then skilled nursing care for another week or so.  Her post surgery CT scan was clear! She spent a month recovering at home before starting a Gemzar chemo treatments (2 wks on / 1 wk off) on 6/8/17.   Mom finished Chemo in Nov. 2017. Mom had a miraculous remission for 2 years after chemo finished! In November 2019, Mom's CA-9-19 blood test results showed an increase. A November 2019 MRI showed a tumor in her neck. In December 2019, the biopsy results showed a metastasis of the cancer to her bone in her neck. On December 9, 2019 Mom started chemotherapy to slow the growth of the neck tumor.  In April 2020, mom finished a round of radiation on her neck tumor to control the pain from the tumor. A May 2020 scan showed metastasis of the cancer to multiple spots in her lungs.  Chemo continued for the lung cancer. In September, Mom went to ER with her second bowel obstruction of the year.  The doctors were able to resolve one of the knots in her intestines with a scope procedure.  There is an existing tangle in her intestines that the doctors were unable to resolve with the scope. Mom is currently in hospital on total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and hoping that her bowel will resolve itself.  Which it did! Mom came home in Mid-September and finished her chemo treatment in early November. At that time, tests showed that the chemo was becoming less effective in treating the cancer and the neck/bone cancer was progressing.  Mom decided to forego further treatment and after a final round of pain epidural shots in her neck, transitioned to hospice.  Mom passed away peacefully in her sleep on December 18, 2020.