No Symptoms Whatsoever

Yariela Martínez

• Gallbladder removal led to diagnosis
• Distal pancreatectomy
• Chemotherapy after surgery

I was diagnosed with stage I pancreatic adenocarcinoma in September 2019.

Thank goodness we caught it early. The most miraculous thing about it? I had no symptoms whatsoever.

One Surgery After Another

My journey started nearly seven years ago when I had my gallbladder removed.  One year later, a follow-up ultrasound revealed a mass in my pancreas. The scans confirmed it was pancreatic cancer. I was 49 years old at the time. I had no symptoms and nothing seemed out of place.  The only thing I remember from that time was having an unusual sadness. Could that have been a clue? I’ll never really know.

I began treatment at the Instituto Oncolόgico Nacional in Panama City, Panama. I underwent a second surgery, this time to remove the body and tail of my pancreas. After that, I began 12 cycles of FOLFIRINOX chemotherapy.

Side Effects and Life Post Surgery

The main side effects I had were nausea, hair loss, and extreme fatigue. It was hard, but it was worth it to make sure the cancer did not return. I thank God that I overcame it!

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I believe that catching the cancer at an early stage, the location of the tumor, its small size, the adjuvant treatment, and my faith in God led to the positive outcome. I am grateful and hopeful that research on this type of cancer will continue.

Stay Positive!

For others facing a similar journey, I advise that you focus on the treatment, stay positive, nurture your spiritual side, and try to see things from a different perspective. The process isn’t easy. It’s best to take it one day at a time and trust with faith that everything that happens will be for your own good.

Also, please pray for the doctors and researchers. We owe them so much.