Whipple Surgery

On 2/28/2008 ilikepurple wrote:

My wife had PC and found it difficult to eat also.  Had a G-J bypass and for some time was unable to eat.  We experimented. We found a local apple cider which had protein and vitemins added that worked as a supplement.  Puddings, fruit salad, soft fruit bars, even peanut butter cups, some of the relatively bland small microwavable soups worked, baby food, tomato soup, chicken noodle soup, gravy and mashed potatoes, some cereals, Ensure or Boost. Many will not understand this, but for the ill persons good, the caregiver must be unrelenting regarding encouraging the ill person to eat. To be honest this all brings back bad memories, but I sure hope some of these help.  It's just the most miserable experience to have to watch your loved one go through.

Dear Ilikepurple, I understand.  I will never forget the day my husband stood in the kitchen after asking me over and over what I wanted to eat, with no response from me.  Tears streaming, he looked at me and said "Do I have to watch you starve to death, because that is what's happening to you".  I had no appetite at first following Whipple surgery, but I can say that from that day forward, I ate everything put in front of me, even when I didn't want it and it was hard to swallow.  My husband is an excellent cook by the way, it was just hard to at first.  I honestly believe eating when I didn't feel like it kept me from losing too much weight as I slowly regained strength and my appetite returned.  If I didn't love him so much, and he had not been insistent, I would have done what people do when they aren't hungry - they don't eat.  So yes, I think it is important to encourage, or even pester the PC patient to eat.  Something.  Anything.

God bless you. 

On 2/27/2008 TexasTeresa wrote:

My brother was told today that he must have the whipple procedure.  He has had chronic pancreatitis for many years.  They have found lezions and cysts in the head of his pancreas.  The doctor told them that they look suspicious.  Regardless if they are cancer or not, they told him that he MUST have the surgery within the next month.  The little that I have read about the surgery stresses the importance of having the right surgeon and surgery center for the procedure.  It reduces the mortality rate to less than 5% compared to 20% with someone that does not have the proper experience.  My brother lives in Oklahoma and was told that there was only one surgeon in the whole state that could do the surgery.  Where can I go to find a list of surgeons who do the whipple procedure on a regular basis and have the best success rate? 

I live in Sherman Texas and had the Whipple procedure done in July of 07. A friend suggested the Cancer Treatment Center of America in Tulsa. They do this often and I was quite comfortable with the facility. My surgeon was Dr. Greiff (pronounced griff). They accept most insurance and the phone number is 918-286-5000. You can also look them up on the internet. I will be glad to answer any questions you or your brother may have, or at least as much as I can. God Bless You and good luck. 

Ken