lainy

Hi Ashley, sounds like it may be something exciting! Did you get hold of that doctor at MD?

We are very sorry for the loss of your mom. Mother’s really never leave and I am sure you will begin to feel her watching over you very soon. Our thoughts and prayers are sent to you and your family.

Damn, Kris, the “boys” just all want to be with you. Say, that stomach tumor sounds similar to the GIST I had removed in October. Your doctor sounds wonderful and combine that with your attitude and distaste for the boys, it should be a winning combination. Maybe you need to aggreivate them so they leave. Play bad music, eat foods they don’t like, just go plain against them. I don’t think I would stick around if you were made at me!!!

Hi Joni and Joe and welcome. I am so sorry about the turn in you life. My husband was 73 when diagnosed 4 years ago. And these are the Golden Years, yes?
A Whipple surgery occurs when the CC is in the bile ducts, Teddy’s was in the bile duct valve. It was not in the liver. You can look up Whipple on the web. For a lot of answers we have a search engine at the top of the page and you can just type in a word. Teddy had never been sick a day in his life. He even survived Korea.
When the diagnosis is first given we are all scared to pieces because who ever heard of this before? We advise people to read up as much as they can and to ask many questions of the doctor. Once you have read up and a plan is in place your load tends to lighten just a little.
It sounds like you really could use some extra hands there. Is there family that can help you?
Then, you need to make a list of questions for the doctor so that you remember what you want to know at your next meeting. For us to be more helpful you need to know what the doctor is labeling Joe’s CC. Then you want to ask the doctor if he has treated this before?
We do not listen to an expiration dates!!! Nobody really knows and we have people on here already surviving 2 years past any given dates.
Finally, have you thought of a second opinion? We highly recommend those to see if something else may be out there that could help.
Take some deep breaths and you definitely need some time to yourself. I used to get in the car and turn on MaMa Mia and sing LOUD until my throat gave in. It was very cathartic for me. You will also find pounding away at the keyboard helps relieve tension. I feel for you as I remember the bag changing and the stents and everything else and it felt at times like I was a Medical Robot. But know what? Here we are 4 years later and somehow you just get through it.
Please keep us posted on Joe and let us know how you are doing as well.

Glad to hear from you Gerry and that you are going to have a chat with the doctor. I just remember so vividly when after 2 weeks of healing the pancreas, the doctor came and said, “We can’t wait any longer, I am going to do a scan as I am sure the pancreas has healed enough to go in.” It was, he did and all was fine. I think also the long wait of “thinking” about the Whipple for months will be more upsetting then the actual Whipple. Hopefully you can have your chat sooner than later. Good luck.

Welcome, Mom’s Daughter to our family and we are glad you found us but sorry you had to. It really sounds like you have been doing exactly everything just right. From what I understand you mom’s doctor is one of the best.
My husband had a Whipple 4 years ago and is now 77. The CC returned 1 1/2 years ago and we zapped it with cyber knife. It has again returned and we will hit it the same way. When Teddy had his Whipple we were told by 5 doctors and surgeons that chemo would not help his (location and type) but he could do radiation and cyber knife. No one can predict how long a stage will last or what will happen next. I would assume that the doctor has to take everything in to consideration at that time to make his decisions.
Your mom is already a survivor and I know its the hardest thing in the world to want to know what lies ahead, but we just don’t know. I know for sure that you will be hearing from others on our Board with suggestions. For yourself I think you will find it helps to pound out things on the keyboard so pound away, we are here for you and your mom.

We are sorry Gerry about the aborted surgery. My husband Teddy had his Whipple aborted also as the dye from the Endoscopy had leaked on it and destroyed it but they only waited 2 weeks to do the new surgery as the surgeon said he could not wait longer. I do not understand a doctor waiting 4 months when time is crucial with CC. IF he insists on waiting I would get a second opinion especially knowing the surgery can be done successfully. Someone else may do surgery much sooner and then perhaps you would not need the chemo. I would definitely get another opinion. Tell him you now had your rehearsal and now want the real thing!