July 7, 2024 update.

Originally post to social media July 7, 2024.

"TUBELESS, and not just taking about my bike (Unit 102), but myself as well. For the first time from Nov 17, 2023, to July 4, 2024, 231 days, I don't have any tubes coming out of me, no IV, epidural, catheter, PICC, NG, drain, or NJ feeding tube😊.

The NJ Feeding tube was removed last week, and it feels great. I have been drinking a mix of protein, high calorie drinks, and eating soft foods. Each day I am trying a new food item to see how it goes with digestion. I have to take Viokace, a Pancreatic enzyme, in the pill form now. I am still not sure how many pills I need to take each time. It's hit or miss, trial and error approach. Try something to eat, take a pill, write down when I take it, and if there is any reaction or discomfort. After sometime I will see if there is a pattern to help me figure out how many pills I need. There is a chance my pancreas will work enough so I won't need to take any enzymes, that would be ideal. 🤞🙏

I am feeling better, slowly getting more energy, but have to balance my activity with my energy in take. I still have some abdominal muscle pain, tenderness, and numbness around the incision site.

Along with the biking I have been able to do, I have started stretching, doing light weights, and having random dance parties to help loosen up and strength my core. I have to say the random dance parties are my favorite. 😊

Add some music to your life, things are always better with tunes."

Comments

Vitamins, minerals and energy.

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 grade dysplasia and I had a lot of complications after. As a result of the complications I was put on TNP feeding, then transitioned t...

Ferritin and Iron levels.

UPDATED Sept 3, 2025 Happy to report that what I have done over the past 12 months has helped my Ferritin and Iron levels stay stable and a slight increase. 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 th...

Dec 15, 2023 update.

Originally posted to social media Dec 15, 2023. " Friday update. Day 28, back on full fluid diet, but only able to drink very little to start, took me all day to drink an Ensure, but wow was it good lol. One drain removed this morning, 2 still in(one active), CT scan ordered and waiting for that. The medical team hopes the CT scan may show where the fluids is coming from. Goal is to get me on solid food, off the IV TPN feeding and able to pass it through the digestive system. Still going slow and steady." Dec 14, 2023. Dec 15, 2023.

The FAP - Whipple Report

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