Thanks Chrissy!

[Guest guest]

Hi Chrissy!

Thank you for your kind words. They mean so much. I can't blame

Prof. Sutton. He only reminded me of the truth,ie. I have a 40%

lifetime risk of developing pancreatic cancer because I have a

particular type and pattern of hereditary pancreatitis. That means

up to the age of 70. I am 58 now. He has my last CT scan and the one

before that.....from which they did the diagnosis of advanced CP.

The EUS is just to maintain the best possible monitoring.

It's just that Professor Neoptolemos realised in January what

turmoil I was in and of course Dr Lombard, my gastro had also

written to tell him that. Prof N (known in the hospital simply

as " Neops " !!) then " gave me permission " , psychologically-speaking,

to put it all out of my mind by forgetting about it for six months.

I did just that and felt reasonably well for most of that time, with

a few lapses. On some days I feel ill, without being able to put it

more clearly, but I've certainly felt heaps better since being on

the Creon, as you know. Much of the time now I feel positively well.

I still have bad days and sometimes a bad couple of hours on an

otherwise good day. I've had one really nasty flare-up and a couple

of more minor ones. By and large, though, I've been better.

Then along comes Prof Sutton to remind me of the uncomfortable

facts. It's true; I do run that risk. He's possibly wise to advise

me to think about it after retirement. It is in the 60's that the

risk rises fairly sharply. He wasn't panicking, just being, in his

view, wise. Neops wasn't so clear-cut. He said he was " willing " to

do the op because of my cancer risk even though my pain level wasn't

bad enough to warrant it under normal circumstances. AND THAT WAS

LAST OCT. WHEN MY PAIN WAS MUCH WORSE THAN IT IS NOW. In Jan. he was

less sure and said it would be wise to leave it for a while as I was

feeling so much better. But he didn't deny that the risk was still

there. Feeling well doesn't alter that. It's the constant

inflammation of the pancreas over so many years.....53

Chrissy!.....that puts me so much at risk.

Now I'm back where I was seven or eight months ago, in an agony of

indecision. I know very well that docs throughout the world don't

agree on the response to HP. Some think you shouldn't do that kind

of surgery, even for a 40% risk, unless the patient has intractable

pain. My pain has improved! Others think the TP for prophylactic

purposes is a good idea. It's obvious why they think that.

If only human beings could look into the future!

Anyway, Chrissy, your thoughts and words mean so much.

I'm sorry you've been in pain. Have you been into work for the two

days? I expect you're waiting for more news from Cinci, are you?

The weather is crazy here. Even in England we usually get nicer

weather at this time of the year but it's positively chilly,

blustery etc. I hope we're due for a change soon. We're going to

Cornwall in a couple of weeks.

I'm going to London on Tuesday evening with my colleague. He and I

will go out with my sons and DiL in the evening. My colleague

doesn't mind, I hope....probably less boring than being with me!

He's the same age as my older son (!!) and already knows both of

them quite well. Anyway, he knows he can't come to London unless he

comes out with the Browns in the evening! We have the conference on

Wed. Our London teacher friend will meet us at 4.00 pm for our chat

and tour of her school. Then at 7.00 pm I'll rush my young colleague

back to his wife and almost-brand-new baby son!! He's the Head of

Maths and worked very hard with me to make our bid a success. He

deserves to be at the inaugural conference.

Well, writing to you has taken my mind off my worry, Chrissy. Sorry

to be so boring. Let me know just how you are. Are you eating?

Things seem to change a bit almost from day to day, or have I got

the wrong impression? Do you think you'll continue to manage two

days a week?

THANK YOU!!

With my love,

Fliss (UK)