re: invariably progresses (my BIL, Heidi's answer)

[Guest guest]

Heidi wrote:

>

A CT-scan of the abdomen and pelivs with contrast, an MRCP, MRI or

ERCP are all good diagnostic tools that usually can and do show what

kind of pancreatic damage has occured...

While the ERCP is considered the gold standard for accessing

pancreatic damge, [often] it is held in reserve because of

it's reputation for causing another pancreatitis attack. If...[the

the diagnositc images are clear enough to show the extent of damage

to the pancreas--calcification, blockage, pseudocysts or other

obstruction}, the ERCP is usually unnecessary. If surgical correction

(such as stenting) is indicated, then an ERCP is the procedure where

this can be done.

>

Thanks Heidi, very clear and helpful. Sorry I forgot to say that

Dave did get a stent, which (I gather)is due to come out and his recent

CT scan looked " good " . But no one has mentioned specifics, said nothing

about the amt. of damage, at least not to me.

And [sigh] that may be par for the course, some of my family is not

welcoming my questions about my sister and that is REALLY hurtful and

scary for me.

Especially, with my sister, I am wary/fearful of the risks and burdens

they are assuming when they don't call or won't talk openly with me,

or worse, they stonewall, get nasty, judgmental (not just of me,

but my poor sister). They are forgetting my sister's wishes (that I

too get medical info) and also, caught up in pseudo control issues,

they may actually jeopardize her care, medically and psychologically...

not to mention jeopardize the family (which has already been through

alot--starting years ago--breast cancer, heart attack, drinking, ovarian

cancer, pacemaker, and now Dave's pancreatitis followed by Sue's lung

cancer dx).

Our family is small--all too soon, the kids will have only their

father and me as their blood relatives.

Although we've led quite different lives for 43 years...

as fraternal twins, we grew up at the same time, with the same

friends, parties, antics and so on. My sister needs that part

present now. And later .... sadly, I will be the only

link they have to their mom's side of the family, including our

mom, whom we both dearly loved and they don't remember. And the

I'm the only contemporary, direct link to people their mom grew up

with--many of us went through elementary school together and also HS.

Also, it may well be that with alcohol problems in their family

(and I'd say, in the sub culture we grew up and even today)... well,

I happen to be the sober relative and live far enough away not

to have participated in the fuzzier/sodden aspects of their world.

Surely, my perspective could help and help preserve family memories

that they might otherwise not know/see.

Also, alcohol closes people in and damages families (not just

pancreases and livers!) Surely it would help if the kids at least

could see that alcohol and its spin offs, are likely to be the main

players in alot of family " issues " (focusing on the alleged

personalities/values/behaviors of others is missing the point.)

But, back to Dave and what I know (not alot):

They did endoscopy early on (at least one in May or June--well before

the stent, which was done July because his cyst was so big, not

shrinking and pressing on his stomach).

So the doctors have a fair amt. of info, I suspect, and maybe the

family alot, or some, but not me. So reading this list and the

answers I've gotten have been really helpful. If I had better info

about Dave (and Sue) I'd better know what my sister might need.

Again thanks, Trying to be philosophical about the interactions,

I know you all understand how worrisome events like this can be

--

Sally

Sally L. Hobson, Ph. D.

mailto:hobson@...

http://www.adelphi.edu/~hobson