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Discussion

The Dark Side

My mother is having an ERCP tomorrow afternoon to determine if the jaundice she started with over the weekend is the result of a poorly placed gallstone OR the 1 inch "thickening of the pancreas" the CT scan picked up today.

I have officially entered The Dark Side in my mind and am already anticipating my fairly healthy 65 year old mother going through the ordeal of The Whipple (something I would not wish upon my worst enemy).

Thankfully she has no history of GI problems or CA in the family and full routine blood work done about 1 month ago looked great. Thankfully our GI doc knows what he is doing and we have a surgeon in town who has great success rates with The Whipple

(if it comes to that).

But here I am thinking the worst and not being able to explain or talk about it to anyone other than my husband (who isn't medical) because my family doesn't need to freak out when nothing is definate. The Whipple is taunting me, and I really could do to hear some success stories from you guys.

Like I said, nothing is terrible right now, but we nurses do tend to go to The Dark Side, and I need some support cause I feel like I am over here all by myself.

(And I promise to update tomorrow after her ERCP). I would really appreciate some prayers for an onery gallstone causing trouble more than anything.

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  • Author

Let me re-phrase that. I don't mean success in that everything was 100% better. I mean success in that it wasn't an agonizing experience.

Or some hugs will do too.

My mother had an almost identical situation several years ago.

She presented with jaundice,"looked sick". She had an ERCP

and a large mass was found.She was sent to one of the medical school

hospitals because the surgeon referred her to one of his professors

who specialized in surgical oncology.The doc was very honest with our

family and there was not much hope this mass was benign.

Anyway.....she had the whipple and the mass turned out to be a benign adenoma!

The surgeon was shocked with the path report....I did not even believe it

until I read it for myself. She actually did pretty well post whipple.She did not have any

of the complications you think about with a whipple.

She lived for another 4 years.....it was her lung disease that was fatal.

Sorry to be long winded....I know how worried you must be....that was an awful

time for me.About 3 days before my mothers surgery my father fell and Fx his hip! he had surgery and had to go to rehab. My mother had her surgery and I was going between parents...they were almost a 100 miles apart! I also had to be calm so as not to make anxiety worse for the family.

I hope in your mothers case things turn out to be a treatable and benign condition.

Healing thoughts for your mom!

  • Author

It is pancreatic cancer. To go from a seemly healthy mom to one with a terrible dx and surgery ahead in less than 48 hours is a bit unnerving.

Oh I am so very sorry to hear that. You must all be in shock.I will be

praying for you Mom and you family.Please come vent if you feel the need.

Please let me know how she does. (HUGS)

Scribbler, I am so very sorry to read of your mom's Dx. I know this is considerably later than your starting and reply post but I just received a google news alert regarding Crohn's disease and there was some hopeful information regarding pancreatic cancer that you might find of interest and maybe even some help/hope.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08105/873179-114.stm

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