While having an uncharacteristically quiet day at home, Navy veteran Mary Jo Burkhard began to feel strange symptoms that she thought could be signs of a heart attack.
After two days of anxious waiting, she was diagnosed with Stage II pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly forms of cancer.
Enjoying life with “no evidence of disease” After completing treatment, Burkhard underwent another round of testing to confirm that the intense regimen had worked.
I knew (Itskovich) caught everything, cut everything out, and I knew the radiation had killed the microscopic cells.
The disease can recur, Kamath said, and Stage I and II pancreatic cancer only has a five-year survival rate of about 44%.
During an unusually peaceful day at home, Mary Jo Burkhard, a Navy veteran, started experiencing odd symptoms that she believed might indicate a heart attack.
The 71-year-old knew that the symptoms of sudden cardiac events differed for men and women. Burkhard was adamant about paying attention to any warning indications. She went straight to the hospital after throwing up the prescribed painkiller because the pain in her chest and back was so severe that she had to go to urgent care.
Tests performed by emergency room physicians included a CAT scan. They discovered a three-inch malignant tumor on her pancreas, but no heart attack. She received a Stage II pancreatic cancer diagnosis, one of the most deadly types of the disease, following two days of anxious waiting.
Burkhard recalled, “I thought, ‘Oh my god, I’m going to die.'”. Her children and grandchildren were the first people she thought of.
Doctor. Reassurance was immediately provided by Alexander Itskovich, a medical director of oncology services at the Statesir Cancer Center in New Jersey. He said that although her cancer could still be cured, it would take chemotherapy and radiation to get rid of as many cancerous cells as possible, as well as surgery to remove the mass. Even if everything went smoothly, Burkhard would need to be closely watched for the remainder of her life, and the journey would be lengthy. According to Burkhard, she overcame the demanding treatment regimen with the same tenacity that got her through her military career.
Burkhard asserted, “If you can make it through boot camp, you can make it through anything.”. It alters the way you think about things, strengthens you, and turns you into a fighter. I was therefore a fighter. I engaged in combat. “,”.
battling one of the deadliest cancers in the United States. A.
According to the National Cancer Institute, pancreatic cancer ranks third among cancer-related causes of death in the US. Dr. Dot Suneel Kamath, a GI oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center who was not involved in Burkhard’s treatment, stated that it is “very difficult to catch this cancer early.”. According to Kamath, the initial symptoms, which include vague stomach upset, abdominal pain, and acid reflux, are simple to dismiss or mistake for less serious illnesses.
Frequently, the cancer is discovered only when a patient seeks care for another problem, Itskovich said. Itskovich stated that although Burkhard’s pain was probably unrelated to the pancreatic cancer, her choice to seek medical attention resulted in the early diagnosis. Stage II cancer was the diagnosis made for her. The majority of pancreatic cancer patients do not receive a diagnosis until Stage IV, according to Kamath. Treatment is unlikely at that point because the cancer has spread throughout the body.
Speed is critical for patients like Burkhard who are still treatable. Burkhard started chemotherapy a few days after receiving a diagnosis. For over four months, the sessions took place every three days. Her body suffered as a result of the treatment; the 71-year-old frequently experienced exhaustion and occasionally needed assistance from her kids to get around the house. But the chemotherapy was successful; scans revealed that the tumor had shrunk to half its original size. Itskovich could then work and eliminate the leftover mass.
He discovered that the mass was connected to several other organs in Burkhard’s body during surgery. He was successful in removing the entire tumor, but it took more than nine hours—nearly twice as long as a normal surgery. Additional chemotherapy and radiation therapy were administered after the surgery. Burkhard was in the hospital for a few weeks, and although she had a hard time recovering from the surgery, she was more upset about having to follow a puree diet.
Calling the semi-liquid meals “worse than a military diet,” she stated, “It was the only thing I could eat.”. “,”.
living with “no evidence of disease” and enjoying it.
Following treatment, Burkhard was tested once more to make sure the rigorous regimen had been effective.
The statement, “I was so scared all up through the CAT scan and waiting for them, waiting for the answer,” was from Burkhard. “I was just concerned. I was aware that Itskovich had captured everything, eliminated everything, and that the radiation had destroyed the tiny cells. Even though I knew all of that in my head, my heart was telling me that anything could happen. “That was frightening.”. “,”.
Although the scans were clear, Burkhard still has to wait. For the next three years, she will have CAT scans every three months; after that, she will have them every six months for the next two. According to Kamath, the disease can recur and the five-year survival rate for Stage I and II pancreatic cancer is only roughly 44%. Burkhard can’t be considered cancer-free because it’s only been a short time, but Itskovich stated that she currently shows “no evidence of disease.”. “.”.
Burkhard says she intends to enjoy her life as long as everything is under control. She has resumed her Veterans Affairs and community service endeavors. She spoke during a Veterans Day flag-raising ceremony held at the hospital where she received treatment. She will soon embark on a lengthy trip to visit her grandchildren in Indiana for a month. She tries to be positive for the staff members who saved her life whenever she returns to the hospital for scans.
“I give the nurses and the doctors hugs. “Everyone in the hospital gets a hug from me,” she declared. “Everyone is given a hug. “.
