An Update

[Guest guest]

Thanks for all the well wishes. I've been trying to update you

since early this morning, but find that the Dilaudid which they are

giving me in a PCA pump scrambles up my linear thought

process. It's hard to keep one thought in motion before another

one interrupts.

The pancreatic surgeon came in yesterday to update me on the

ct scan of the pseudocysts, and what kind of remedial

procedures could be done. Alas, all the scan showed was one

pseudocyst, the pseudocyst in the tail was again overlooked

because of it's disguised position. The surgeon was obsessed

enough with the character of the inflamed pseudocyst that he

didn't look further for the cyst that hides. He said he was going to

have to go over the 12 earlier scans to look at the status of the

2nd one, too.

My GI had hoped that it may be possible to drain the inflamed

pseudocyst into the stomach with a marsoupial (s.p.?) drain. It

turns out that this technique is not possible, however, because

of the condition and location of the big cyst...it's just too damaged

and too far away. The surgeon said that my pancreas is, indeed,

burned out and a total mess of calcification throughout. He said

the pseudocyst (the one he could see) is an angry, inflamed,

violent looking beast and surgery would not be an option. He

appears to be a very consciencous doctor, and as far as surgery

goes, on the conservative side. But he said he has great respect

for the mysteries of the pancreas, and doesn't believe in rushing

into any procedures that might not be suitable, or could even

endanger my health even more.

I asked him why I was experiencing the horrible, excrutiating,

stabbing pain if I had pancreas burn-out, and he said that it was

caused by the pseudocyst. If they were gone, the pain wouldn't

be such as issue.

I've not had a bite to eat in four days and am STARVING! Last

meal I had was some pasta on flight to Miami a long 130 hours

ago. I've been NPO ever since and ever time a meal cart goes by

it drives me nuts! The doctor mentioned that TPN was the next

step......argh!!

Sleepy now. I've already collected a handful of hospital stories to

share, the staff here certainly hasn't won too many awards. I'll be

back in touch whenever there's some news. We still don't know

what they are going to do. The pain is only tolerable now, and I

love the bolus that I can use whenever I want with the PCA pump.

Hope you are all hanging in there,

With hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

SC & SE Regional Rep.

Temporary Address:

Room 432

Candler North

Candler-St. Jospeh's Hospital

Durenne Street

Savannah, GA

(my room)