Saw the surgeon today

[Guest guest]

Hello all, Hope this finds everyone well, or at least in good

spirits. I just wanted to let everyone know what the surgeon had to

say, and invite any comments as always.

I have to tell you all that the doctor I saw today, truly was a

direct answer to my prayers. The last time I was in the hospital, I

had to have a femoral line inserted, and they sent up a trauma

surgeon as usual. Not as usual, he came in and let me know that he

also did all of the pancreatic surgeries at the facility I use. He

also said that he had been interested in my case obviously because of

my diagnosis (CP) and had therefore read my charts. He said " You need

to go to Minnesota and see Dr Sutherland about a TP-ICT " . To this

point, every doctor I had questioned hadn't even heard of it! It was

if God heard my prayers and sent Dr via Divine Intervention.

So when I saw him today, he pulled up my most recent CT, which was

from nearly a year and a half ago. He announced that he saw evidence

of a pseudocyst (no one else has ever mentioned that before). So he

ordered a new CT to see if it has resolved or remains. He offered me

the option, IF it does remain, to have it removed laparascopically.

He thought there was a slim chance that would improve my current

condition which can only be described as lousy. Then we went on to

discuss my pancreatectomy options. He did agree that even if the cyst

removal helped, I would eventually require the pancreatectomy anyway.

First he explained that the Islet cell transplant is also reliant on

the results of my BRCA (genetic) test results. I had a genetic study

done about three years ago and it was negative; I just can't remember

which test it was. If it was the BRCA then it would be pretty safe to

assume the TP-ICT is a go ahead. If it wasn't the BRCA, then I will

have to have that done. He explained to me that if someone is BRCA

positive it increases their risk for panc. cancer significantly. So

if I were BRCA pos, they would do an ERCP and sample some panc cells

to check for any abnormal cells (I think this is probably the

brushing people were talking about awhile back). If there are

abnormal cells, it calls for a pancreatectomy WITHOUT the islet

transplant. Because, there is a 75% chance for those cells to become

cancerous; you wouldn't want to put those cells into the liver.

So as it stands now, I go for a CT on Aug 6th. I will probably opt to

go directly to the pancreatectomy regardless of the pseudocyst

status. I would like to have it done now, before I develope cancer,

and while I still have those precious islet cells available. He also

said the pseudocyst was possibly to blame for my slightly elevated

BG's lately. If the islet cell transplant is an option he refers to

Dr Sutherland. His last referral there had my insurance, so that is

good news as well. If we are going to do a pancreatectomy without the

islet cell transplant, then he can do that right here at home.

Just wanted to let everyone know what I heard today, and let you know

that I am sometimes silent but nearly always monitoring. You know

health allowing.

God Bless, Keri Beck in IL