hello to

[Guest guest]

Dear ,

Your grasp of your situation is refreshingly honest and

straightforward, and I commend you for being able to view your

circumstances with such aclarity and self-awareness. A week's

stay in the hospital with an acute pancreatitis attack is an event

that most of us have experienced, so we are well able to

understand and emphasize with your recollections of this painful

and confusing time.

Your letter really touched me because I saw so many parallels in

your story with that of my own. I haven't really spoken much

about my alcohol history on this board because, as you'll see,

many of our members pancreatitis is not alcohol caused, but for

all the other reasons. The alcohol-induced CP members seem

to be in the minority, or just haven't spoken up about it.

I used to drink....a couple glasses of wine or a couple cocktails,

probably four times a week. This was the norm for our

household, our friends and relatives households and other

people we associated with. Fresh out of the hospital, still in

residual pain, the memory of an excrutiatingly painful first acute

attack, combined with the words of my doctor, " alcohol will kill

you " , were enough for me to give it up for life. I was afraid I

couldn't do it......my husband drinks, my relatives and friends

drink. They still do...life goes on.

People said " maybe just once in a while would be okay " . I

thought about that, and then the possible cummulative damage

and realized that I would only be cheating myself. I decided it

had to be all or nothing....that I had to commit myself to

conquering that goal. Once I made that promise to, it was easier

for me to live up to the bargain I'd made with myself. Each day

that passed was easier. I counted the days at first, proud of my

accomplishment, then the months. I buried myself in other

interests, worked longer hours, resurrected hobbies I'd put aside

and jumped wholeheartedly into involvement with this support

group to keep myself busy. The combination of all this activity

helped the days spin by. To be truthful, I had forgotten all about

counting until your letter today. On April 38th, it will have been

two years since I quit. I don't miss it at all.

While I did not go to AA, I know they have helped thousands and

your plans to attend AA meetings are a positive step in the right

direction. If you have a loved one or friends who care for you, talk

to them about it and ask for their support to help you accomplish

this goal.

You may be one of the fortunate people that has just one attack

and recovers fully. I hope this will be your only experience with

this beast, yet only time will tell. Being alcohol free will make

your recovery pass even quicker. The pain and malaise you're

feeling now will pass, too, it takes a few weeks for our bodies to

get over such a medical trauma. Everyone is different, but it took

me about two weeks before I was feeling myself again, and by

that time, I was already chronic.....even though there wasn't much

pain at first. But this may NOT happen to you.

Remember to try to stick to a low fat diet and drink plenty, lots

and lots, of water. The pancreas needs to stay well hydrated,

especially after an inflammation.

Stick with us and we will help see you through all these lifestyle

changes. There is a lot to absorb at first, but you sound like

you're motivated and ready to take on these new challenges.

Ask us about anything you may have questions about, there's

usually always someone here with a suitable answer.

Visit this website built by one of our members, Mark Armstrong.

It's probably the most thorough Pancreatitis information

websites that you'll find on the net.

http://www.top5plus5.com/

Keep in touch and let us know how your doing.

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

South Carolina

Southeastern Representative

PAI, Intl.

Note: All comments are personal opinion only, and should not

be substituted for professional medical consultation.

>>>I have just returned from a 6 day hospital stay for something I

never knew existed before last week. Naturally as this was my

first episode my thoughts are racing over the all important

question, is it acute or chronic.

I have been a long term alcoholic for close to 20 years. Even if I

am one of the lucky ones who never has a reoccurance I will

NEVER forget this experience and the only thought worse than

reliving the last week is the prospect of living it continuously for

the rest of my life. I will begin with AA first thing tomorrow.

[Guest guest]

,

Sure sounds like you have your act

together. Glad you found us. We are a friendly, helpful bunch so jump on in.

From: dcgaconnier

Sent: Saturday, June 19, 2004 2:24

PM

To: LUPIES

Subject: hello to you

all..I am new

I am new. My name is . I have had lupus for three

years. I

have three

young children and I am 40 yrs. old. My children are 4

yrs. old -

Emma, 7 yrs, Ashton and 8 yrs, Logan.

I have had many ups

and down but

this has been a pretty good year. In the beginning, it

all hit me

like a ton of bricks. I was a healthy young mother of

two, I

delivered my third baby and I got sick, and sicker. One day

I was out in

front of the kids elementary school waiting to pick

them up and

I just passed out. Subsequently, a trip to the ER

resulted in

some wild blood test results. I had absolutly NO

thyroid

function, and a sky rocking liver value. It seemed

mysterious

to the Dr.'s. but after a year of testing and testing..I

was

diagnosed with hypothyroidism and lupus. Not good. At the same

time, my

father had Luekemia and passed away. It was a stressful

time which

didn't help my health. It was determined that my thyroid

was not

functioning at all and was never going to work again. So, I