Pancreaticoduodenectomy

This is what is going to happen to me! If I had known this I wouldn't have come!

This means they are going to do a surgical procedure to remove part of the pancreas and part of the small intestine. They may also remove part of the main artery if they find cancer has spread to it.

They gave me a booklet to tell me what was going to happen. It is a good thing they gave me the booklet at the end of the program instead of the first part. It says; "You will have tubes placed during surgery, a jetunostomy tube (J-tube) and a gastrostomy tube (G-tube). A J-tube is a feeding tube that is inserted through the abdomen and into the small intestine. The J-tube is used until you are able to get enough nutrition by mouth. (I don't get any food until the fourth day and that will be clear liquids. My "last supper" will be Saturday night, so that means no food from Saturday night until clear liquids on Thursday. I can hardly wait!) The G-tube is inserted into the stomach and acts as a vent to help control nausea and vomiting. An epiduran lines or tube will be placed in the lower back to give a continuos dose of pain medicine and a tube will be put down my throat to assist in breathing. I will look like a Christmas tree with all these cords hanging from my body - but no lights. I sure hope there is an Angel on the top of the tree.

Most patients stay in the hospital 6 to 14 days. I wonder why?

In addition to this booklet that scares the living daylights out of me, I had to read and sign a form that says I understand all of the potential complications and side-affects, including death!

I thought I was coming down here this time for a visit with the Surgeon prior to surgery. I thought I was going to either be bored stiff or get into a lot of trouble with six days to kill between seeing the surgeon and the operation. No such luck! Today - Friday, is the first day I have had off. I have spent six to eight hours at the hospital each day this week. I had to meet with the Internal Medicine doctor, I had to meet with the Anesthesialogist, I had to make two trips to the lab for blood work and then yesterday I had to spend two hours getting a doplar exam so they could check out and measure all the veins in my legs. They are going to harvest these veins to replace veins they have to cut in my abdomen.

I had forced myself not to think about this surgery and I am glad I didn't have all this information before or I might have gone South. But, I am a tough old ugly guy - so not too much will change I guess. I will still be old, I probably won't be as tough for awhile, and I can't get much uglier - so not too much to change.

I guess I won't be communicating too much in any form for a few days, so I want to thank all of you once again for your support during this past ten months or so. Your friendship has been the best medicine I could ever ask for.

AL