Getting my strenght back after a Pancreaticoduodenectomy, The Whipple Surgery.

The Pancreaticoduodenectomy or "The Whipple", Nov 2023, went okay they tell me, but after I developed a pancreaticojejunostomy (PJ) leak, followed by hepaticojejunostomy (HJ) leak, gastrojejunostomy (GJ), and a stubborn fistula. The resulting complications, leaks, and fistula did so much extra damage to my body, and abdominal muscles, I lost most of my core strength, and flexibility. I was very discourage and worried my quality of life was going to change more because of the complications, than from the changes to my body from the surgery. I told my friends if I can walk, and eat everything else will be a bonus, I just wanted to get out of the hospital, and get on with my “new normal” life.

I still have a golf ball size scar in the middle of my incision, from the fistula, the tissue is sunk in, and much thinner the the surrounding tissue. I am concerned about future problems, like hernias, but live a very active life so have to balance getting stronger, enjoying what I like to do, with the risk of more problems. I find beside the physical good things that come from the exercise, and being active, the mental benefits are just as important. Some days I have to push myself to get up, and go for a walk, and it’s not for the physical benefit, I know something as simple as walking help me mentally.

Here is what has worked for me so far. I started walking on day 1 post surgery, then continued to walk as much as I could during the original 50 day hospital stay following the surgery. I finally got discharged in early Jan 2024, and went to stay with friends. I was too weak to stay on my own. I made the best of things by slowly walking down the flight the stairs, doing laps around their kitchen island and then back to bed. There was a big set back at the end of Jan 2024, and I had to return to the hospital again for another 90 days. I continued walking as often as I could, with nurses sometime commenting that I didn’t need to walk as much as I did, I would reply “ yes I do have to keep walking, I need this”. In March 2024 the final leak healed, and fistula started to improved to. They would unhook me from the IV lines in the day so I was free to go out on day passes, and could walk more in the fresh air. I started to add in arm raises, curls, shoulder shrugs, and other what I call “crazy arm” walking movements. This helped get the upper body moving, some strength, and blood flow. Eventually I started to twist, and rotate at the waist as I walked, getting more range of motion, and flexibility all the time. I was discharged the end of Apr 2024, the surgeon gave me the okay to start more exercise. I started with easy stretching, random dance parties, and yoga, but kept walking as much as I could. My friends, and family surprised me with a new E mountain bike, I could ride around the pathway by my house in late May 2024, this felt like a huge step forward. I eventually was able to add in planks, crunches, push ups, weights, pull ups, and mountain biking( non e bike too) to my daily activities. My strength is coming back, and have to say the random dance parties are still the way I like to start each day. I feel very fortunate to have been able to get back to a level of active I enjoy, and hope sharing this may help in some way.