Hi! I am writing to hopefully get some answers to help my mom. She is a 50 years and has a hx of gallbladder removal 91, Breast CA 2007 treated with chemo and radiation, although chemo was not completed due to almost killing her, rouen Y gastric Bypass in 2002 and 3 days after surgery she had a messsentaric bleed and small bowel obstruction. She was admitted to the ER on Jan 27 2009 with complaints of epigastric pain radiating all through back, severe nausea and vomiting. She was in excurciating pain. They performed lab work, CT, US, Chest-Xray and MRI of abdomen and pelvis. They were all clear according to records. They attempted a ERCP and were unsuccessful in this procedure stating they were unable to get through. My mother was not jaundunce when she was admitted to the hospital, although her liver enzyemes were abnormal and elevated in the high 800-900. On the 29th they proceded to do a test PTC where they preformed an internal/external biliary bile bag. Which she is draining an average of 465-775cc a day. I keep up with her Vitals, fush and keep dressing changed once a day. Still we kept hearing time after time from the hospital that there was nothing they could do for her and they were going to discharge her. She only got to stay by the skin of her teeth since her BP was up and down. She was released by the hospital on Feb 6th and was admitted again to the hospital on the 8th. They keep her until the 11th,(and still were unaware that it was cancer until we arrived at shands on the 12th. We went to the hospital on the 12th and to our dismay, the doctor diagnosed her with CA. He said that she has CA in her bile duct, but unable to biopsy this area in the common bile duct. The doctor said she would have to have a whipple surgery done and everything would have to be rerouted since she had this bypass. He said he would re route everything inside including arteries, organs veins and so forth with a 25% chance of having to go back in to fix anything that might not have sealed. It was explained to us that if she has the surgery she has 4-5 years and if she opts not to have the surgery she has maybe a year. I have been reading and reading on the liver, pancreas, bile duct and was hoping someone has some info about the whipple procedure, not having procedure, quality of life, just anything at this point. Thank you for taking the time to read my email. I appreciate it greatly!
Ashlee