Dr Sutherland and pancreotomy and islett cell transplant

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In a message dated 8/9/2004 8:57:42 AM US Mountain Standard Time,

pancreatitis writes:

Well tommorrow I have my first appointment with Dr. Sutherland. I am

really looking forward to seeing him. I was a patient with Dr. Tim

Sielaff and then he got a new position as Medical Director of Abbott

Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis. I though about staying with him

but I have heard such great things about Dr. Sutherland that I

figured I would try and get into him instead. I didn't think I had a

chance but when I called it was very easy to switch over to him. They

said that I do " qualify " to see him. I have a 5 hour drive to go but

it will be worth it! My pain has been getting a lot worse over the

last week or so. I am hoping I can go ahead with the PT/ICT soon.

Darren

Dear Listwives and men,

I saw Dr Sutherland less than two weeks ago. I am going back as soon as my

insurance company approves to have a complete pancreotomy and islet cell

transplant. I am so happy. He is a delightful man and one of the rare good

doctors. I have struggled with chronic pancreatitis for ten plus years. I

would

have gotten the surgery more than five years ago if anyone had let me know it

exhisted, but even the " best " doctors I went to never mentioned the

possibility I learned about the pancreotomy on the chat list here, and did a

med

search about who is doing them. Apparently the two places that are the best

are

Dr Sutherland and another place in Canada. NOW that I know about the

procedure and understand its possibilities for improvement. I am disgusted and

angry that other " gastro " docs will not even offer this as an option-rather

they

keep us trapped in the -nothing they can do-(except maybe messing with our

bile and pancreatic ducts-which usually only makes things worse. It did in my

case. I am going to the BEST pancreatitis gastro doc in Tucson, AZ. Dr

Cunningham. A very nice man, but he never gave me any hope, even when I burst

into tears in his office saying I cant take this any more-telling him my

quality

of life was zero, and I had to do something... " I want to tell you-all that I

highly recommend consulting with these docs that are doing this procedure.

Dr Sutherland has very good results with the surgery. I for one am looking

forward to going under the knife for 15 hours----if it will give me even some

Part of my life back to me.

Best wishes to all of you,

Morgaine Madrona

10 years disabled by pancreatitis, mother of four, used to be midwife, and

wife of doctor

PS---- and yes I am TOO called a drug seeker constantly and I cry about it-

rage about it-and hate it-I plan to have the local paper do an article on my

surgery to inform the local people about pancreatitis and the new procedures

available and embarass the medical community some-----AND spead the word

about the NEED for Narcotics to allow for relief of the Pain associated with

our

insidious disease. I recently moved from the small town of VERMONT-lovely

place to live but medicine is mid-evil and I had to leave the state to get any

help at all for my pancreatitis-I was told for six years it was all in my

head-by every gastro doc in the state----I sought out Dr Gregg from

Massachusetts-(I also got his name form someone on this chat list)--Dr Gregg

was the

first to " allow " my diagnosis of pancreatitis-my husband and I had diagnosed

it ourselves years before...

here is the info on doc _The Transplant Center--Surgical Director pancreas_

(http://www.fairviewtransplant.org/pancreas/medical_director_pancreas.asp)

Sutherland. It was very easy to get an appointment with him. He was charming

and warm and CARING. And NEVER questioned once that I was really sick. I

will let you all know how the surgery goes.