Scheduled for Whipple

R3dD0g · Posted: Thu Aug 24, 2006 7:51 pm Post subject: Scheduled for Whipple

I'm scheduled for a Whipple on Sept 6. Reading the internets about pancreatic cancer has really frightened me. I just want to type about it.

Last November I had excruciating pain in my abdomen for the better part of a day. The GI thought it was acid reflux and gave me some meds. It came back a couple weeks later and they did ultrasound & x-rays for gall bladder problems, those test showed nothing wrong. Sometime later I had another attack and he put cameras down my throat & up my arse and saw something protruding into & deforming the duodenum. He did a blood sample and CT scan. The blood work showed some chemical marker was elevated. The scan showed something, too. He sent me to a surgeon and he did a billiary scan and everything in the liver was normal. A few weeks later I had another CT scan & blood test, this time the chemical was absent but the 'something' was still there.

I had a needle biopsy in June, but they missed the pancreas, a week or so later I had another and they didn't find anything. The GI put a biopsy tube down my throat and 'biopsied the piss' out of the protrusion, but again didn't find any cancer. So, I had a PET scan a few weeks ago. And it showed a large 'hot spot' where the pancrease is and where my pain is.

Now, I'm scheduled for the Whipple in 2 weeks.

I fear it might be needed. Before the pain was strong but rare, now it's pretty much all the time and really bad when I eat anything. I have a good appetite, I'm hungry but the thought of the pain makes afraid to eat.

I apologize for the length, but I just had to tell someone. I'm not getting a lot of support from my wife. She's angry because I haven't felt like sex in almost a year. And my coworkers all start talking about their gall bladder or stomach stapling.

I won't know for sure if it's cancer until they section the pancreas. I'll check back from time to time and for sure when I get back from the hospital.

freeio · Posted: Mon Aug 28, 2006 3:10 pm Post subject: Been there

I had my Whipple procedure surgery October 21, 2004, and I am still among the living. It is a very major surgery, but the surgeons have figured out how to do it properly, and so the survival rate of the surgery is probably better than 98%. The surgery itself is not the problem.

The problem is what to do if they determine that you have pancreatic cancer. It is a vicious, nasty thing to deal with, as it seems to spread perfectly, even with the best of treatment. Under the best of circumstances, if they really do get it all out, and if the follow-up radiation and chemotherapy that is routinely prescribed works at killing off all of the cancer, then it will have cost you six months of your life, and US$200,000. You will be missing a bunch of your insides, but the tradeoff to live is probably worth it.

If however it spreads, as it did in my case, then all bets are off. They thought they got it all - I was the model patient who proved that it was possible to survive a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, only to discover a year and a half later that it had spread, and that it had done so it a way that is inoperable. I have an unknown number of months left until the tumor strangles me from the inside, and all the chemo does is slow it down a bit.

I asked my oncologist what the gemcitabine (chemo agent) would do for me, and he said all it would do (statistically speaking) was extend my life by an average of six seeks. It costs $1800 every two weeks, and extends my life a little bit. There is no hope of cure mentioned, as there is none expected.

Nevertheless, I have a very positive attitude. I have a great wife and super friends, who are helping me through this in a wonderful way. See my cancer blog here: http://diehlmartin.com/cancer.html

I hope that the Whipple procedure works for you. It is a hard road to go, but it just may work in your case.
_________________
-------------------------------------------------
whipple procedure, Oct. 21, 2004
28 days of radiation
56 days of Chemo using Xeloda
diagnosed as progressive recurrent pancreatic adenocarcinoma (Stage IV) Jun. 20, 2006
was treated with gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and tarceva, which all failed.
Cancer blog: http://diehlmartin.com/cancer.html

R3dD0g · Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2006 4:30 am Post subject: My GI Dr.

Thanks for the reply.

I went to see my GI Monday. Nothing in particular, just to thank him for his perseverance in treating me. For the longest time the tests were showing nothing but I still had the pain. And he kept plugging away, until he finally did the PET scan and everything made sense. I asked him to come see me after the surgery, just to see a friendly and supportive face. The surgeon is great, listed among the best surgeons in the state, but I don't know him. Saw him for a 30 minute office visit and might see him in the OR before they knock me out. But, my GI became my trusted Dr.

My best and prayers to you and yours.

R3dD0g · Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2006 4:29 am Post subject: I"m out of the hospital now

It was 10 hours in surgery, 4 days in ICU & 12 days overall.

I had wonderful news! There was no cancer!

There was a large (baseball size) benign tumor sitting on top of my pancreas and it was causing irritations & inflammations that resulted in pancreatitis. It was also screwing up all the tests that confused us for 6 months.

But, when the Doc removed that he went ahead and did the full Whipple just to be sure. Then he sliced & diced all the stuff he took out looking for cancer and they didn't find anything.

So, except for the huge hole in my belly and some leaking JP drains that smell awful, I'm thankful.

I'm thankful to everyone on here who said a little prayer for me.

Thank you so much. And my prayers go out to all of you.

missumom · Experienced user Joined: 05 Jan 2006 Posts: 65

That is terrific news!!!! Very Happy

Take excellent care of yourself....go on and make your wife happy.

God bless,

R3dD0g · Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:24 pm Post subject: Re: Scheduled for Whipple

Thanks so much.

freeio · Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2006 2:54 pm Post subject: Congratulations!

It is great to be among the land of the living!

Here is my web site showing what that big incision can heal up to look like given nearly two years:

http://diehlmartin.com/scars.html

That is not so bad, all in all. Leave your shirt on, and no one will ever know. But do make sure to get your checkups on a regular schedule so that you have good warning if anything should change.

Cheers!

marty
_________________
-------------------------------------------------
whipple procedure, Oct. 21, 2004
28 days of radiation
56 days of Chemo using Xeloda
diagnosed as progressive recurrent pancreatic adenocarcinoma (Stage IV) Jun. 20, 2006
was treated with gemcitabine, oxaliplatin, and tarceva, which all failed.
Cancer blog: http://diehlmartin.com/cancer.html

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