July 15, 2024 update.

Originally posted to social media July 15, 2024.

"This video is dedicated to an amazing group of people who gifted me a new Rocky Mountain Instinct e-bike, and the staff of Unit 102 at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary.

The bike I named Unit 102 in honor of those who took care of me after my Whipple Surgery and the complications that followed. Without your care I don't think I would be riding my bike on trails like this.😊

To the group of people that gifted me the e -bike, family, friends, and people who I am not sure I have met yet or seen in years, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea how your gift has touched me. It has allowed me to get out, ride, and start to mentally heal from a long rough recovery.❤️

The trail is Jumping Pound, part of a local epic alpine ride in K Country. The view is one the places I would close my eyes and visualize when things got really tough. I spent countless hours thinking about all the places I wanted to see when I was healthy and stronger. There are still many more places I want to see, but I am so happy that I have started to pick away at the long list of places that helped get me through those rough times.

The power of visualization is amazing, close your eyes and escape, even for a few moments, it will help you when you need it. 🙏

Not entirely sure I should have done this hard ride 10 days after they removed my NJ Feeding tube, only eating enough solid food to test out the digestive system, but hey I made it lol."

Comments

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 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...

Dec 5, 2023 update.

Originally posted to social media on Dec 5, 2023. "Day 19th, post Whipple Surgery. Things are going along smoothly, no great ups and downs, just some what of a even ride. Last week I had my first CT scan , and it showed a few pockets of fluid. Drains and meds were engaged to help treat these. On this past weekend, bloating, and pain started to return, even with 3 drains still drawing off fluid, pressure was growing. The medical team decided to send me for another CT scan. It showed another big pocket of fluid. Monday a new drain was installed to help. It drew off 450ml of fluid before I left the procedure room. Today was more of a spa day. Thank you @maureentowns for the fancy nails" Spa day Dec 5, 2023. Dec 5, 2023.

The FAP - Whipple Report

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