My Story is about Me: Eric Borden

 

This event took place from 06/15/2017 to 08/14/2017

 

The Discovery

My story begins with bloodwork testing every three months for liver functions due to statin use. My liver enzymes were elevated for a few prior tests and my PCP tried to determine why. Off statins? Didn’t help. Hep C test? Didn’t show anything….He was confused. Throwing up his hands, he said, “Go for a CT scan. You never know what you may find.”

After the CT, I received a call one week later from someone in my PCP’s office. “Mr. Borden, The scan shows a lesion on your pancreas and it’s suggested you come back in one year to check it.” I phoned my GI who immediately schedules an EUS ultimately confirming an adenocarcinoma. Successful Whipple surgery was performed at Johns Hopkins by Dr. Christopher Wolfgang and Dr. Jin Hei on August 14, 2017. I’m a six year survivor!

My story is this: Be your own advocate! My PCP never reviewed my scan. That’s another story! But if I didn’t advocate for myself I wouldn’t be here writing this summary.

This is My Story

“Yes, I’m calling with your CAT scan results. You have a cystic lesion on your
pancreas of 1.7cm and we recommend follow up in one year.”

After receiving that phone call I immediately said “no way.” With results forwarded to my GI, he suggested an endoscopy with ultrasound to take a closer look. During that procedure and biopsy, it was discovered that I had a 95% chance of having a malignant tumor on my pancreas. I researched the best possible scenario and medical/surgical team ultimately deciding to go to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore for my surgery. Successful Whipple surgery was conducted on August 14 and I’m on the road to recovery with a six month chemo stint on the horizon.

Here’s the kicker: Because I was my own advocate my disease was caught very early. Imagine if I had listened to my internist and waited the year. You wouldn’t be reading about this topic nor would you possibly be reading about this next year! I took it upon myself to control my own health direction. Becoming your own advocate and knowing what would be best for you helps you direct your life in your own best interests. Becoming either complacent or relying on others’ opinions and directions may not be the best course of action for your life. Do what your instincts tell you. Don’t be shy about speaking up and taking control of
your particular situation.

You’re the most important person to you. Do your due diligence. You know yourself best. Trust your instincts and go with them and when it doesn’t feel right.

The Impact of Time

“Time is of the essence” seems so simple and obvious now. As I mentioned, if I did not immediately become my own advocate, I most likely would not be writing this summary. Time and my own self advocacy has given me time to continue to do the things I love, both personally and with my family. Time has also allowed me to add more time helping others.

For years I have been involved with many Pancreatic Cancer organizations and events…..PanCAN, Lustgarten, AFFPC, Project Purple, appearing on various news outlets to name a few, and volunteering at cancer centers to engage and help patients and their families go through the tough fight of a pancreatic cancer diagnosis. My message is this: “In business, hope is not a strategy. When dealing with a pancreatic cancer diagnosis, hope is the most important strategy to have!” None of this would have happened if my time was cut short.