June 4, 2024 updated.

Originally posted to social media on June 4, 2024.

"Back on Nov 17, 2023 as I sat outside the operating room, waiting for what felt like for ever, I had to use all my energy to not run away. The fear, stress, and anxiety of what I was about to go through was almost too much to handle. I started to focus on places I wanted to see again when I recovered from the Whipple Surgery. I closed my eyes and visualized some of my favorite places, I listed them off, and kept repeating the list over and over. Above are video clips of some of the places I want to see again when I am stronger.

I also needed something to do when I recovered, a way to payback the universe for taking care of me. So came up with "Spreading Happiness" sticker idea.

Happiness: an emotional state, feelings of joy, contentment, and fulfillment, often described as involving positive emotions and life satisfaction. 🙏

I want to spend my time spreading happiness, not sure how, but will do what I can."

Comments

What's it like Volunteering on a trail day.

I decided to try and retire this year, not sure financially this was a good decision, but mental and physical I know I have to try and I know it will help keep me healthy. If I stay healhty and active I will stay out of the hospital I hope. A trail day is helping repair and maintain a multi use ( horse back, hiking, running and mountain biking) network of trails. I live in a beautiful part of the world, the foot hills of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. There are several networks of trails and trail associations here, we are very lucky. I think my favorite trails to work on are the old classic trails in Kananaskis Country . Most of these trails haven't seen any attention in many years, so they are over grown and eroded. The trails are often in a remote wilderness area, so getting to them can often be an adventure, we hike, bike and use e bikes to get to locations. You have to be prepared to be there for several hours, with enough food, water and extra layers in case the weather chan...

Ferritin and Iron levels.

UPDATED July 2026, 2026 Happy to report that what I have done over the past 12 months has helped my Ferritin and Iron levels stay stable. Part of the on going follow up after my Whipple Surgery is having blood work done at 3 and 6 month intervals. Blood work done in Nov 2024, a year post Whipple, showed my iron levels to be in the normal range, but the Ferritin levels had started to drop. Both my primary Doctor and dietitian recommend me increasing my daily iron intake to see if that would help raise my Ferritin level . The duodenum is removed during the Whipple, and it plays a crucial role in iron absorption , so removing of this section of the small bowel reduces the body's ability to absorb iron. Ferritin is a protein that stores iron in the body's cells and It's found in many cells, especially in the liver, spleen, and bone marrow . A low ferritin level after the Whipple is common and is often due to impaired iron absorption caused by the removal of the duodenum; ...

Vitamins, minerals and energy.

UPDATED Mar, 2026. Happy to say blood work looks great, Ferritin, Iron, Vit D and Vit A are all back up into the normal range. I had been living a very active life since I was in my late 30’s. I started road biking , and then mountain biking and loved it. Mountain biking became my to go to exercise, and I loved peddling up the longest hills I could find . I took part in many races, single and multi day events, never really too win but to see what I was capable of doing, to see new wilderness areas and meet good people. Living with Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP) gave me a reason to take care of myself and keep pushing myself, I figured if I was able to ride a bike as much as I did there wasn’t anything wrong with me. In July 2023 polyps in my duodenum started to show signs of change, and a large flat adenoma was un able to be removed, so I decided to have the Whipple Surgery in Nov 2023. The surgery went okay, biopsies of the large adenoma showed high gr...

The FAP - Whipple Report

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