New member,Any advice or positive support appreciated

Dear Christine, welcome to our remarkable family, you have come to the best place to be. My husband, Teddy, had the Whipple in August of 2005. While the Whipple is a big surgery it is NOT life threatening like heart surgery. Teddy’s surgery lasted 8 hours and the next morning he was sitting in a chair when I got to the hospital. Recovery takes time and one must be very patient. Like Randi said, you are among the blessed that Dad can even do this. Teddy was 73 at the time of his Whipple and 7 years ago they gave ‘Whipplers a year’ but we got another 5 1/2. Things have even improved since then, who knows what is round the corner. You all need to be tough and present Dad with a united front. I gave all notice that they must not be upset in front of Teddy. Teddy had told me that he was steeling his mind for had to be and my job was to tell others that crying or being upset was forbidden in front of him and that helped make him stronger. One suggestion I have, having had my own stomach surgery 3 years ago, I suggest asking for an epideral. I was already on the surgery table when I thought of it. Sure helped for the next 2 days as I was pretty numb. No one wants surgery but on this Board we celebrate the word. May I ask where the surgery is being done? Feel free to ask me any questions by email, we are all here for you. I pray for God to come through the surgeons hands and please keep us updated on Dad’s progress.

Hello Chris,

I had whipple surgery 12/2009 and while the recovery was not a picnic, it was not anywhere near horrible. Everyone is different, so I cannot predict how your father will recover. My surgery was 6.5 hours long but I was only in the hospital for 6 days which is a record for my surgeon. The hospital stay varies for everyone and in my humble opinion is dependent on the physical health of the person before surgery. I was just shy of my 54th birthday and in pretty good physical health (no heart disease, no diabetes, average weight, exercised regularly).

Before my surgery I was concerned that I would never be the same person. I can tell you that while I have some issues my stomach occasionally, I am very much the same person and do the same things. I still run and exercise, eat right, I went back to work 6 weeks after my surgery to my (admittedly sedentary) desk job.

Tell your dad that mostly only people with horror stories post on websites about their experiences, so to take of it with a grain of salt.

I will not minimize the seriousness of this surgery, but it’s the only potential cure for this cancer, I fell blessed to have been able to have it, and I would do it again in a second.

Please feel free to email me (randi.barrell@gmail.com) if you would like any specific information about the whipple.

Best wishes,
-Randi-

Dear Chris,
Lainey and others will probably get to you soon. Lots of others have had it as well and here on this board we consider your Dad even “lucky” that its an option. I’m sure your Dad doesn’t feel very lucky though and its understandable that he is having anxiety right now. This gets better as you gain confidence in the plan and meanwhile the Dr may prescribe an anti anxiety med like Ativan.
Hang in there!
Willow