HELP-mom, treat with care!

June 5, 2003

Hello and welcome,

I want to state up front that my advice is only personal opinion

and should not be taken as or instead of medical counsel.

Now that said I have suffered from pancreatitis for the last 16

years, starting with repeated acute attacks, now chronic idiopathic.

The first thing I noticed about your post was the dispair you and

your mother are feeling. While unfortunate it is all too common of a

response over the course of dealing with such a miserable condition.

I wanted to express how important it is to be compassionate and as

understanding as you can. This is a frustrating situation for you and

your mom. Hold her hand, touch her, tell her you love her, and tell

her you will listen with an open mind and heart to anything she wants

to tell you. This disease is hard on the body and soul. She needs

you. Sometimes it is hard to say how bad you are feeling, and the

more you internalize the worse you feel. It would be in your and her

interest to get some counseling if at all possible.

As for her being unable to tolerate food, don't push. If she is

as nauseated as you are describing, her body probably isn't ready for

food. Talk to her doctors about seeing a GI specialist who has some

experience dealing with pancreatitis on a frequent basis. Like you

said answers can be hard to get, but don't settle for less than

adequate care. In the mean time she should be considered for TPN. I

saw that some of the other posts addressing your questions mentioned

it. I myself have been on it numerous times. TPN is food already

broken down and ready to be absorbed by the cells of the body. It

goes directly into a large vein in either the arm or chest, so your

digestive system can rest completely and heal. With a feeding tube

your digestive system will still have to process the feedings and she

will still be affected by nausea and possibly even vomiting. Once she

begins to receive some nutrition she will be much more able to heal.

I hope any of this information is helpful. If you have any

questions feel free to contact me at the message board or personally

by e-mail. Also don't forget the power of prayer.

With love and hope for healing,

Keri Beck RN

Mattoon IL

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