DeeDee re: TP-ICT

[Guest guest]

DeeDee,

I can only speak for myself about the procedure. I was dx'd. with CP in April

of 2001, at 49 years old. For the first year, I was doing pretty well, with

relatively mild symptoms compared to everyone else, and I really thought I

was so lucky. Only two people in the group had had the TP-ICT at that time,

and one of the girls who had it never posted again or spoke about it. The

other member, Shirley, did talk about it a lot, and told us all how it saved her

life. But at that time, (2001), there wasn't a lot of talk about it or

knowledge

that it could really be a viable option.

My CP worsened in the second year, and my husband and I did discuss my

having the surgery many times, but I didn't feel at the time that my condition

was severe enough to merit having that type of major surgery. In January of

that year I became very sick, very suddenly, and lost 30 pounds in 3 months.

I was spending so much time trying to figure out what was wrong, seeing my

doctor, nutritionist's, PM doctor's, and having tests done, that any thought of

the TP-ICT was on the back burner. I collapsed in March and was admitted

into Intensive Care at the hospital with diabetic ketoacidosis. My pancreas

had burned out, and I became a brittle insulin dependent diabetic. I had only

had CP for 20 months when this happened, so I hadn't gone through the

many years of misery that many of the others have.

So it was too late for me, we had left the decision on the back burner too

long.

With love, hope and prayers,

Heidi

Heidi H. Griffeth

hhessgriffeth@...

SC & SE Regional Rep., P.A.I.

www.pancassociation.org/anthology#Heidi.html

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

substituted for professional medical consultation.