Chrissy/work/surgery/antioxidants/cinnamon

[Guest guest]

Hi Chrissy,

Happy New Year!

Please be careful when you go back to work. You simply have to have

pain relief to be able to face it; I know that from so much

experience. Hope the Ultram works for you to-day. I don't really

know what it is. Did the doc discuss any other options for future

action if the pain continues?

My gastro said he was going to write to Prof to tell him I was " in

turmoil " about the surgery. Before Christmas I got my letter asking

me to go in on 17th Jan. However, the right hand doesn't usually

know what the left hand is doing! I can't do anything this week

because of the hols......everything sort of shuts down apart from

emergencies. On Friday I'll phone and make an urgent appointment to

see Prof asap. I'll then tell him that I've decided to wait. I'll

try to make an appointment to see him three months later, at most. I

want to keep in close touch. I'm also writing to the geneticist, Dr

Ellis, to arrange another appointment with him. (He spoke at that

Chicago symposium.) Last time I saw him, he implied that how I felt

should very much be taken into consideration when I make the

decision. Well, I happen to be feeling better just now so I'll wait.

Of course, I've had good extended spells before in my life as well

as awful times. Time will tell if this improvement lasts. I've put

my story on the PAI Top5Plus5Library BTW. It's boring though!

I read something in my newspaper this morning saying that cinnamon

mimics some of the effects of insulin and could delay the onset of

type-2 diabetes. I know that mine will be type-1 when it starts but

cinnamon can't do any harm so I'm going to include it in my daily

diet.

I'm also about to enquire about the Antox again. Tony Crispin, the

PAI British rep, has given me a link. At the moment I'm taking a

daily antioxidant capsule from Boots, Britain's biggest chemist

chain. I think the Antox will be too expensive for me to buy and I'm

pretty sure the GP won't give it on prescription (which would make

it affordable) because neither my gastro nor Prof believes in the

therapy so they obviously won't ask the GP to prescribe! However,

I've read quite a few articles (by panc docs) suggesting that

antioxidants may be effective in reducing the inflammation etc. of

CP and that lack of certain antioxidant elements seems to be present

in cases of CP and even panc cancer. If the Antox is too dear I'll

just carry on with my present ones from Boots. They seem to be the

best available over-the-counter. They can't do any harm. Have you

ever taken antioxidants? I know Heidi does, or did, as I remember

her talking about them.

Well Chrissy, that's it for now. Keep your chin up. I know it's

hard. The only consolation is that people do seem to go through

different stages of this disease. I hope an easier one for you as

soon as poss. When the pain is not too bad, work can sometimes take

your mind off the illness. I hope this at least for you when you

start again. Good luck.

With love,

Fliss