Whipple Surgery Survivors...

Hello all...

I have surgery coming up soon..., the Whipple Surgery. It's a very major surgery, usually for pancreatic cancer patients. I have a cyst, but it's benign on all biopsy and markers, but it's of a type with great possibility to become cancer.

Anyways, I wanted to see if anyone out there has had the surgery, their recover and life after.

I respectfully ask of no stories with non-positive outcomes... I realize that the surgery and recovery is rough, with many possible long term adjustments and effects.

I really just want to hear of survivor stories.

I'd love to hear of stories of you back out there fishing....

Post or PM please..

Thanks,
John

Don't know anything about it but certainly will lift a prayer for you John.

John, I hope you get through the surgery with no additional problems & wish you luck in recovery.

Thoughts & prayers with you !!

Hi Skiffin- Can share my personal experience through a close buddy and my sister in law...both of them were diagnosed with late stage pancreatic cancer. As one would surmise, both patient and families anxiously prepared for the high risk operation and the low percentage long term survival. Great news!! Both my buddy 65 years young and my sister in law @60 years young are now 9 years and 7 years post-op. Sure there are adjustments, diet, bathroom duties etc., but they BOTH beat the overall percentages for PC patients.
Knowing their success will continue with you, although different circumstances, had the whipple procedure done.

Prayers for you and yours,
u2s

Awesome news..., definitely the feedback I'm looking for.... That is totally great for them both being diagnosed PC, having the operation and doing well... You put a smile on my face, ear to ear...

My congrats ad prayers for both of them,
John

You have a great positive outlook and I know you'll be fine. See you on the water soon!

I sent John (skiffin16) an email a few days ago wanting to share his phone number with pontoon pappy and I got this email back....

Absolutely..

After 7 1/2 days wth no food or water.., only a few ice chips, saline and electrolytes..
Because of the tube through my nose sucking acid and junk from my belly..
I got the tube yanked today, then moved on to water, broth, jello and lemon Italian ice...
Ahhh, heaven
Hope all is well with you and family
It's been rough but today has been great...
John

I sent John another email and asked to share his experience and good news with everyone.....


Hope all is well with you and family
It's been rough but today has been great...
Five years ago, I was Dx with Stage III throat cancer (tonsils and a tumor near my carotid)
Sixteen weeks of four types of chemo, seven of those concurrent with 35 daily radiation treatments with my head in a mask bolted to a table.., freaky huh.
Anyways as follow up scan, I still get two a year..
BTW all clean on that cancer.
The scans picked up a cyst or tumor on the head of the Pancreas.
The decided to check it out and it was determined to be a pre-cancerous type
It also grew a little about 10mm..., between the scan to check it out and one three months later.
As a result, they said it had to come out before it turned to cancer for sure.
Soooo
The main surgery for removing rumors from the Pancreas is called the Whipple.
They remove the head of the pancreas, 1/3 of the stomach, Gall Bladder and the Duodenum, and patch it all back.
Thank God the margins around the runout and the tumor itself came back benign no cancer.
So I have to look at this as a life saving surgery.
If they hadn't caught it in scans, and it turned to cancer.., well even if they'd got it all pancreas cancer has a very low five year survival rate.

As you can see he has a rough time, but it looks like he is doing fine now. We wish you a speedy recovery. :cheers2