Apr 17, 2024 update.

Originally posted on social media Apr 17, 2024.

"April 17th, 2024 is the 5 month Whipple Surgery anniversary, and marks 131 days, and counting, in hospital. I was home in Jan for 22 days, and a few hours on day passes has been my only break from the hospital.

Currently working on getting the small bowel working and digesting liquid nutrition via the nasojejunal(NJ) feeding tube. TPN IV nutrition is being scaled back as the NJ feeding is increased. The fistula(leak) from my stomach to the insecion is slowly healing. To by pass the leak the feeding tube goes through the stomach past the leak into my jejunum, part of the small bowel. Nothing to eat or drink for awhile longer because of the leak in the stomach.

There have been some rough days in the last few weeks where frustration and negative energy got to me. Progress seemed to be slowing down and my dream of getting home earlier was crushed.

With the support and help from family, friends, and the health care team I was able to get back to a more positive way of dealing with things.

I love the great people in my life. I am so thankful for all that you do for me, you are the reason I can do this"

Apr 4, 2024.

Comments

Mountain biking after Whipple Surgery.

I wasn't sure what life would be like after my Pancreaticoduodenectomy or "The Whipple" in Nov 2023, my big concern was the change in quality of life and would I be able get back on the mountain bike. The surgery it's self went really well they tell me, but on the start of the second week, when I should have been going home I developed several leaks and this was the beginning of a long difficult recovery . I started to worry that this was what my new normal would be like, but some how found the drive and energy to walk as much as I could while spending 140 days in the hospital. I kept telling my self this would help me get back to the life I wanted. Friends and family helped support me, gave me the energy I need and reminded me to keep my sense of humour. A group of friends, family, and strangers put to together a Gofund Me campaign and bought me a Rocky Mountain Instinct Ebike , at first I wasn't sure how to take it. Did they think I wasn’t going to ever be ab...

A short summary of the Whipple Surgery, Pancreaticoduodenectomy, and the complications.

A short summary of the Whipple Surgery, Pancreaticoduodenectomy , the complications, and 140 day Hospital stay that followed. Most of the information is a direct copy from my Hospital discharge report (spelling mistakes have not been corrected). I have added some other information, those notes are in italics. Warning medically graphic picture links included. A more complete summary, with pictures maybe seen here : https://fap-whipple-report.blogspot.com/2025/01/a-summary-of-key-events-for-whipple_10.html I had the Whipple Surgery in Nov 2023, it seemed to go well, 4 hrs of less in the OR. Normal as it could be the 1st few days, mild pain, walking as often as I could. Nov 24, 2023 Nurses note “ Abdomen +++ distended and firm.” “ Patient now complaining of 10/10 pain and laying in bed in fetal position holding abdomen.” “ Pending CT, form completed, IV access available.” Nov 26,2023 Nurses note “ CT abdomen pelvis ordered on Friday. Still not done on Sunday. Action: I spoke...

The importance of advocating for your self.

I went into the Whipple Surgery , Nov 17, 2023, with the belief that I would be home in 7 days and recovered in 3 months. The surgery it’s self went okay they tell me, but 4 days later I developed a pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) leak , followed by hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) leak and there were delays in acting on these complications. It got so bad 2 of my close friends had to come in and talk to the medical team to find out why a CT scan ordered on Nov 24, 2023 still wasn’t done 2 days after it was ordered. By the time the CT scan was done things had gotten much worst and it was the start of a very long recovery . This when I started to notice it was very important for me to pay attention, advocate for my self and my health care. Nobody knows your body and how you feel better than you. Unfortunately I didn’t start making notes or taking pictures until I was discharged, Jan 5, 2024, after 50 days in the hospital. I was sent home with 2 drains and a very active leak that was com...

The FAP - Whipple Report

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