Hello Everyone,
Today marks the 10th anniversary of Susans whipple surgery. Performed at Florida Hospital in Orlando by Doctor Arnoletti, Dr. Arnoletti did the procedure in a remarkable way. The surgery was standard but the way he changed the anatomy made it very easy for Doctor Beilman to perform the TP-IAT. That sounds odd, but it made Susan’s recovery much easier. A TP-IAT will change the top of the digestive tract but when a whipple is done first the changes are already made. When that happens then for the TP-IAT the changes become adjustments. In Susan’s case the way Dr. Arnoletti did the changes, Dr. Beilman did not have to do any adjustments. The normal recovery which may require a feeding tube was not needed and the recovery was a little easier. Hats off to Doctor Arnoletti.
Several things are moving forward, the adhesion surgery has been scheduled for December 1st and our travel arrangements are set. Another Airbnb is on tap as it is the most economical. More as we approach the surgery date.
Something that Susan has come across that has been very promising is related to enzymes. One thing that Sue has battled with for some time now is the enzyme supplement. Without a pancreas, an enzyme supplement is absolutely mandatory because it replaces the missing enzymes the pancreas secreted to digest fatty foods. There are a few different kinds and the dosage all become a balancing act to get things just right. In Susan’s case this was very difficult, it hit her hard because when she ate for some reason, no matter what she, and the GI doctors, tried it was not right and often resulted in diarrhea. Recently, as Sue was looking for an economical alternative, she came across a natural enzyme called ViTAL Nutrients Pancreatic Enzyme 100mg (full strength) dietary supplement. The cost is considerably less and so far the diarrhea problem has gone away. Something we need to be clear about is that we are not recommending this. You should ALWAYS consult your doctor. Together you and your doctor would determine your enzyme therapy and if this is right for you. For Susan, it seems to be a good fit right now and over time we can share her experiences as she works through this issue.
