Re: Re: RE:To Gail From Shirley, Pancreatectomy and cell trans...

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 12/28/01 10:50:11 AM Eastern Standard Time,

esquare726@... writes:

>

>

> Shirley:

>

> Along with this group, I recently signed onto a site for people who have

> undergone or are contemplating a fundoplication.

>

> For those who do not know what that it is, it's the full surgical procedure

> to treat severe reflux. It entails the " wrapping " of the esophagus with the

> upper portion of the stomach.

>

> Although primarily done laparoscopically, it's still a rough operation that

> takes time to heal and learn to swallow again.

>

> Was it worth it? Absolutely!!

>

> Many people fear any type of surgery. That's the greatest hurdle.

>

> I, on the other hand, am a firm believer in going for that which will make

> me

> the best that I can be.

>

> So what if we can play connect the dots between my numerous scars?!?!

>

>

> -E

>

>

>

Dear E, I am so happy for you that your surgery helped you. That is

wonderful. It sounds as though you have had many problems also with your

body that just doesn't want to be nice to you. We have to do what we have to

do to be as well as we can be. For me the surgery was a go and I had no

other thought in any other direction. I knew if I didn't get that pancreas

out of me then it would take me down. I had starved for so long and been on

tpn off and on so I had had enough. Out of all the suffering I went thru

with cp I think that first, starving was the worst. I was so starved that my

body was falling apart from head to toe. I couldn't eat at all. The pain

was too bad. I never decided to go on strong medication I just wouldn't eat.

I couldn't eat. The doctor here in Cincinnati told me that since I had

divisum the enzymes couldn't flow out of my pancreas and that was what caused

so much pain and was destroying my pancreas.

With hind sight If I had to go back and still have my pancreas I would have

never let the doctors do ercp's on me or put stints in me. I would have been

forced to go on tpn which almost killed me because I got two blood infections

at the same time and was in the hospital for 23 days on three of the

strongest antibiotics. Effiterisen, Sipro, and Vancomiacin. My temp. was

107 and I was delusional. I would skip all of the attempts the doctor's

tried to do to help me and I would have gone straight to the pancreatectomy.

That is how strongly I feel about that surgery curing me. All of the other

attempts doctors tried to do for me just made me so much worse. I regret

living the way I lived with the starving etc. It not only made my body so

much weaker but it affected my family so much. I hated seeing the worry in

their eyes. Their whispering about me with concern. I am 59 and almost 60

and I have been ill since I was 33 years old. First I contracted hepatitis B

when I had braces on my teeth. The hepatitis became chronic and I have never

gotten over it. I am sicker today with it than I was when I first contracted

it. I have to use a wheel chair or scooter when I leave my house. Then I

was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I had a complete hysterectomy and went on

chemo for six months. Then I had a second look surgery where the surgeon

took so many biopsies it caused great amounts of scar tissue to develop in my

belly. So then I had to have my gallbladder removed and a j-tube put in and

all of the scar tissue removed from my bowels. After all of that then I had

ercp's and stints and anything else to try to cure cp. I traveled all over to

find a cure and had no luck. I only found a cure when I read Sue Rebello's

Story how she was cured of cp and you know the rest. So, I have had five

major surgeries, cancer, and chronic hepatitis B. I am cured of pancreatitis

but the hepatitis really gets me down. I sometimes have to spend days in bed

only able to go to the bathroom and back to bed again. I discovered I had

cancer and pancreatitis when I was 51 years old so I feel that I have lost

almost then years of my life. Ten year are gone and I don't know where they

went. They were ten years of pain, fear, frustration, worry, anger, and

suffering. Now I am approaching 60 and when Iook in the mirror I wonder what

happen to that person who used to look back at me and was a young looking

woman. Where did this old person come from? Where did my fifties go? I

can't be sad though because I am now cured of cp and I can now eat and enjoy

my blessings that I have. I am able to go out to dinner with my family and

eat on the special days that we all get together. My family and I rejoice

that I can now eat. It is a miracle for me.

E, I know that you must have suffered greatly for you to decide to have that

surgery. That surgery sounds so painful. More painful than the

pancreatectomy. I am so happy for you that you were helped by having that

surgery. I had a brother-in-law who the doctors said died because he went

years eating late at night and he had reflux which caused him to get cancer

of the esophagus. I have another distant relative who is now fighting for

her life because of cancer of the esophagus also. So you did the right thing

by having the surgery to stop the acid from wearing away your esophagus. You

are a very brave woman.

My husband suffers from acid reflux. He has acid in his esophagus and mouth.

He also has pain in his chest that radiates under his arm and around to his

back. Did you have pain similar to that? He is on an antacid drug for it.

He just went to the doctor yesterday and the doctor told him if he wants to

feel better to give up coffee, wine, beer, chocolate, spices and any other

foods that cause this problem. I know my husband very well since we have

been married for 38 years. He will take the medication a continue to eat and

drink what ever he wants. He cannot cope with illness in any way and says if

he gets sick he just wants to drop over and die. He has a lot to learn. It

doesn't always go that way.

Thanks for writing and I hope you have a pain free day and no attacks.

Shirley