Reply #36: Hi everyone

[livetohike]

I'm so glad I found this group. Thank you for forming it. I am mourning my Dad's death on Nov. 8, 2004. He was 80 years old and passed away three weeks after his diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

I live in CA and my whole family is in Pgh. I drove across country alone with my two dogs to be with my Dad. His father also died from pancreatic cancer back in 1979.

My Dad had a bad reaction to the contrast dye that was used during his initial CT scan. This caused his organs to begin to fail. He wanted the chemo. He wanted to fight this horrible disease. The oncologist thought he was well enough (initially) to handle the chemo and we all thought he would take his treatments as an out patient. No one predicted the problem with the dye and I still do not understand what happened. He did have two chemo treatments.

My Dad was active in the Dem party his whole life. He missed the Nov. 4 election because we were too late to get him an absentee ballot, however, he wore his Kerry/Edwards button on his hospital gown. It was the first election he ever missed voting in.

My brother ended up in the hospital two days after my Dad died. He had two strains of pneumonia and spent two weeks in the hospital. My sister and one of my sisters-in-law also contracted pneumonia, but did not have to be hospitalized. The holidays (especially Thanksgiving) were horrible since half of the family was really sick.

Anyway, I'm having a rough time with coping with my Dad's death and I am so thankful this forum exists.

Thanks for listening.