Re: (MICHAEL) panc attacks/stress

[Guest guest]

Donna,

Just wanted to pipe in on the stress issue. I can probably attribute at least

50% of my major attacks to something stressful going on in my life. When I had

my very first attack in Jan 2000, I was going through a terrible time with my

then 17 year old daughter. She had gone to live with her dad and stepmother

after months of fighting at our house. My husband and I were 'ruining her life'

because we refused to allow her the freedom she wanted and access to a group of

kids (some as old as 23) that we knew were bad news. Thank goodness her dad and

stepmother enforced the rules just as strictly, but Nikki accepted it from them

because she wanted her daddy to think she was his 'perfect little princess'. It

almost killed me literally going through this tough time. Nikki and I had

always been so very close and she'd been almost a dream child until this period

of teenage rebellion. Of course, her dad just made things tougher on me and

encouraged her anger toward me. She barely spoke to me for over 2 months. It

was 8 days after she moved in with her dad that I had my first documented case

of acute pancreatitis. I feel sure that stress brought it on. However, it was

probably just a matter of time til something brought the attack on. Thankfully,

by the end of March, Nikki and I had worked things out and she realized that our

'ruining her life' had been for her own good and was only because we loved her

so very much. Lord knows it would have been easier to just let her run wild and

do what she wanted. That rebellious teen had totally turned her life around by

the time she finished her senior year of high school that May. She spent from

April to August living one week with me and one week with her dad. Boy, was

her dad mad! I was so proud of Nikki. She stood up to her dad for the first

time ever and said, " I did not choose for my parents to live in two different

houses. I love both my mother and my father and I want to live with both of

you. The only way I can do that is to split my time between the two houses. It

is only me that it will be a hassle for. I have plenty of clothes and shoes to

split them between the two houses. But, even if I need something from one house

and I'm at the other, it's only a 5 minute drive from one house to the other.

Daddy, you can either agree with this or I will just go back to living with Mom

and Bud full time. " He then agreed and that was the beginning of major healing

between all of us. We (me, my husband, Nikki's dad, and his wife) have now

become wise enough to know that we all share a bond because we love Nikki so

very much. We have been able to put all the bitterness and petty things behind

us and simply enjoy doing what is best for our wonderful daughter! As many of

you know, planning Nikki's wedding was awesome. I was so thrilled to know that

her stepmother truly wanted to make sure Nikki's wedding was everything she

wanted it to be. It was obvious how very much she loves my daughter. I also no

longer feel the least bit threatened by Nikki's love for her dad, stepmom, and

sister (by her dad and stepmom). I am so happy to know that Nikki has so many

people to love and support her. The wedding was so incredibly beautiful. Nikki

had my stepdaughter, , as her maid of honor, and her little sister, Tori,

as the maiden of honor. Her stepmother, Vikki, was seated as a mother, only

just before me. Nikki's dad walked her down the aisle, but then before he

presented her to , he stopped, my husband, Bud, got up and walked to

Nikki's other side. When the minister asked, " Who gives this woman in

marriage? " , they both lifted her veil, said, " We do. " and kissed her on each

cheek. It was so awesome. This was what Nikki wanted - to have all four of her

parents to have a special part in her wedding. Boy, I got off track again!

Anyway, the whole point was that stress has been the trigger for many of my

attacks. It doesn't have to be bad stress either. I was admitted to the

hospital 6 times during the first two months after Nikki's wedding.

The doctors tell me to keep my stress down, but how can you really do that

without just putting yourself in a bubble? I have learned to listen to my body

more and to rest when my body tells me. I've also learned that if I feel a

major attack coming on, I can sometimes head it off by being very careful with

my diet. Gatorade and popsicles are often a staple for me!

I had a rough year in 2000 and then my panc seemed to settle down. However, the

pain never totally went away. I just let the doctor convince me it was

gastritis caused by gastric bile reflux and that my pancreas was totally

healthy. The panc attacks returned with a vengence in July 2002. For the year

prior to that, I had been traveling 50% of the time. I went to Alaska, Japan,

Korea, and Hawaii for the month of Sep 2001. I was stranded in Japan on Sep 11,

2001. After that I spent two weeks in L.A., two weeks home, two weeks in

Richmond, VA, two weeks home, two weeks in L.A. and so on. I was in Richmond,

VA in July 2002 when I ended up in the hospital with a very obvious attack of

acute pancreatitis. I really didn't think I was under stress at that time.

That was my last 'scheduled' business trip for a while. I was looking forward

to being in the office and at home more. I had a lot of plans for what I was

going to accomplish both at home and at the office. However, the day before I

had the attack, my boss contacted me via e-mail, while I'm in the middle of a

very important meeting that required my attention and input. She wanted me to

put together a presentation that a co-worker was to have put together a month

previously but hadn't bothered to do it. They needed the presentation by close

of business that day. I spent 10 hours throwing the presentation together on my

laptop, while trying to make sure I didn't miss anything in the meeting. I was

sooooo mad that night and bitched to my husband that I was sick and tired of

being expected to do the job of two people! However, by morning I had totally

forgotten about being so mad. I'm a redhead so it's typical for me to loose my

temper, rant and rave, and get over it. After I had the attack of pancreatitis,

I was talking to my hubby and telling him I didn't think stress had anything to

do with it and then he reminded me about how mad I had been the day before. So,

I do think the stress of all the travel, trying to do both my job on the project

that I was traveling for and my job back at the office helped to bring the

attacks back. That was the beginning of the end of my career. I didn't work a

full week in between the time the attacks returned in July 2002 and my

retirement in March 2003, which at only 42 years old, was at least 20 years

earlier than I had planned!

I do know the retirement was for the best and even though things are still rough

at time, I know longer have the stress and guilt of feeling like I need to be at

work but know that I'm not able. It was a tough decision and one that each

person has to consider whether it is what's best for them.

I wish everyone the best.

W

alabama

[Guest guest]

Count me in too. I definitely get worse attacks when I feel under

alot of stress. Although I have had some bad attacks come from " out

of the blue " too.

Kris