Join/follow Lilli (and her family) on her journey through a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.
25/04/2024
Update! 4-25-24
Mom had her nerve block done @ Shands on the 19th. As of today, she is still in pain. Unfortunately that tells me it was unsuccessful. So we are moving forward with radiation either at Shands or locally here in Panama City. Not sure yet.
She is rapidly losing weight though, she has no appetite and when she forces herself to eat then she throws up. Please continue to pray for her.
Hi! I am Christina. I am Lilli's oldest daughter. In 2019, Lill… Christina Borden needs your support for Help Lilli Fight Inoperable Pancreatic Cancer
13/04/2024
WE HAVE A DATE!! Finally!
Shands was able to move her Celiac Plexus Block up from May 22 to next week Friday April 19th @6:30am!
No help from her local oncologist Dr. Weber! We were trying to get the procedure done here in Panama City, FL but I have yet to hear back from him after calling multiple times. Not happy with him or the staff AT ALL!
Thank you everyone for your continued prayers! Please share this if you can!
Hi! I am Christina. I am Lilli's oldest daughter. In 2019, Lill… Christina Borden needs your support for Help Lilli Fight Inoperable Pancreatic Cancer
07/04/2024
4/5/24
This week, my Mom got a plan of action from the local radiologic oncologist (Dr. Weber), and from the team at Shands. Both are fair options, though Shands is offering an immediate action for her pain: a nerve block, which is a surgical procedure. We are waiting to see if insurance will cover that procedure or not.
My Mom is leaning toward Shands for treatment: done by experts; shorter duration for radiation. However, that requires a caretaker for her THERE; lodging for 2 - 2.5 weeks; food; travel; etc. The expenses alone are daunting. The logistics of having someone there with her is daunting.
The local option does not include the nerve block, is over a month of treatment, and no guarantee her pain will reduce- even if it does, it would be weeks before she’d get relief. But the local option is way less convoluted, less expensive for everyone, and has more readily available options for caregiving.
(My Dad is a fantastic caregiver, but with his hearing limitations and own health issues - he is NOT the ideal caregiver, esp away from home.)
My sister and I are tossing around ideas. There is SO much to consider and we all seem to have different takes, but are trying hard to keep my Mom’s wishes at the core of our actions and plans.
For now, we are still in a sort of limbo, while my Mom is still experiencing incredible pain.
Also - NONE of the drs have given us an actual prognosis.
I can’t process this missing piece of data, bc I feel like it would have huge bearing on how my Mom proceeds.
Is it normal to not have a prognosis prior to radiation treatment?
🤷♀️
We have had people ask. So if you feel so inclined but ultimately we only ask for your continued prayers.
Hi! I am Christina. I am Lilli's oldest daughter. In 2019, Lill… Christina Borden needs your support for Help Lilli Fight Inoperable Pancreatic Cancer
07/04/2024
💥Update (Thursday 3/14)
Metastatic adenocarcinoma.
Results received via the UF Shands App. Not at all what we were hoping for. We are still waiting for a plan of action. My Mom is in incredible pain - please pray her Drs can effectively and quickly help her with pain management.
07/04/2024
Christina’s Update.💥(Friday Afternoon 3-07-24)
My Mom had the biopsy done. She and Cassy are on their way home now. The surgeon that did the procedure was reluctant to hazard an opinion of what he saw during the procedure, but I assume that’s bc he’s not my Mom’s surgeon. So, she should get the results on Tuesday or Thursday of next week.
Seems like my Mom is in good spirits, though. 🙂 We appreciate your continued prayers!
Note: I am NOT in Florida w my Mom at this time. So, my sister is handling all of this on her own and I am sharing info second hand. If you try to reach her or my mom, please be patient. They are responding as they are able.
My entire family thanks you for your thoughts, prayers, and support!
07/04/2024
So, here we are, back at Shands on 3-06-24. Dr. Hughes reviewed her scans and confirmed my fears…. In his professional opinion, the neoplasm was cancerous and inoperable. But a biopsy would be scheduled by his team to confirm.
Right then - we did not know exactly what that meant, but hoped the biopsy would help her medical team make a better determination of severity and treatment options.
💥Update and Background (Thursday Afternoon):
The facility has my mom scheduled for an endoscopic biopsy tomorrow 3-07-24.
07/04/2024
So - background:
In October 2019, my Mom began her battle with pancreatic cancer. She had surgery at Shands in Gainesville, FL. and then 12 months of chemo (FOLFIRINOX) under the care of Dr. Weber in Panama City, Florida.
After which, she was doing well - and told she was cancer free!
About 8 months ago (July 2023) she began experiencing severe gut pain when/after eating. Her Oncologist requested a CT scan that got canceled by insurance bc it had not been a year since her last (which is ridiculous when someone has a history like hers!!!).
Instead of pushing for it, her oncologist just dropped it. My mom took it upon herself to schedule an endoscopy/colonoscopy thinking it was an issue with her stomach. She has a history of stomach ulcers, hiatal hernia and GERD. But everything came back clear.
After months of suffering it was brought to my attention (Cassy) when we stayed with them for Christmas (December 2023). I was worried that it could be cancer bc the pain was similar to her symptoms before.
My mom scheduled another appointment with Dr. Weber that I was present for and we pushed for another scan. By that point, it had been a year so it was approved. The new CT showed tissue growth (neoplasm) around the Celiac Artery and SMA. Dr. Weber’s nurse suggested we go to Ft. Walton for a biopsy but we requested the referral to Shands.
07/04/2024
I was hoping I’d never have to update this page again….and I realize how blessed we truly are that my mom has survived her diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer for nearly 5 years!! But unfortunately it has reared its ugly head again.
This time inoperable.
I’m going to go through the updates one by one and add them to this page to catch everyone up. This is for family & friends and for anyone interested. Maybe her journey could help someone else navigating this horrible disease.
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This “About” section is supposed to be about the page and what the page is for, but I think that is pretty self-explanatory: to keep you all up to date in an easy and efficient manner so we can better focus on helping Mama get the procedures, treatment, and support she needs to conquer this ugly little word. So, instead, let me tell you about my Mama.
Mama was born in Poland. Yup. She is an immigrant/naturalized Citizen. She came to America when she was 19. Here she met and fell in love with my Dad, and the rest of that story is history. I know all you romantics out there would love to hear more about their love story, but that is for a different time and place. Here, I want to tell you about Mama.
This woman is a wife, a mom, a sister, a grandmother, an aunt, a friend. She is a singer, an artist, a poet, a storyteller. She sees beauty in just about everything. She tries to bring beauty and laughter and song every place she goes. Her light heart is testament to her faith. This woman is a prayer warrior, never ceasing to pray for God’s will, and for her own ability and willingness to be part of that will.
All my life, I have watched her give of herself. Whether it was focusing on me and my sister, or helping my Dad or Grandma with even the most mundane tasks, or singing in choir, or helping drive the school van, or painting murals in the nursery at church, or leading worship on Sunday morning, she is always giving something somehow to someone somewhere.
And now, she is being forced to focus inward on herself, on her health, on her unexpected diagnosis and all that it might entail. Now, my family, and all her friends are being called upon to somehow, someway lift her up and help her on her journey through this season.
Thank you for visiting this page. We sincerely hope that you will join us, follow us, and like us as we share how my Mama is doing. We pray that this page will not only offer her hope and encouragement, but that it will do the same for other people who are on similar journeys.
If you are interested in offering help, please scroll through the comments/notes on the page for the gofundme page that has been set up for her, or reach out via messenger for other ways you can help. If you have been through this journey, are on it now, and can offer advice or links to resources, please share those in the comments for all to see. If you wish to share your encouragement, support, and prayers, thank you! Please also share those in the comments for all to see. You never know who else your words of kindness can help. Finally, be aware, any and all negativity, foul language, pessimism, etc will be deleted with no warning and no explanation.
