how it started
I have a history of Barrett's Esophagus. A routine EGD found a polyp near the duct from my pancreas. I went in for an outpatient procedure to remove the polyp. On the way home, I started vomiting. My husband and son took me to the ER, where I waited six hours for treatment. I don't remember much; I was pretty out of it.
I only remember bits. Being moved around to different rooms. Chest x-rays. Being abandoned in the hallway after one trip to radiology. I'm not sure why they took me there since usually they brought the equipment into the room. I had some serious hallucinations. I tried to escape regularly, because I thought I was being held captive. Which I was, technically.
I was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, but I had necrotizing pancreatitis. My pancreas was digesting itself and all of my other organs. Lungs, heart and kidneys were failing.
I didn't get proper treatment until I went into cardiac arrest. I had no breath or heartbeat for seven minutes.
I've been through hell. My family has been through hell. Generally, I'm not a whiner, but I have a lot to complain about.
I only remember bits. Being moved around to different rooms. Chest x-rays. Being abandoned in the hallway after one trip to radiology. I'm not sure why they took me there since usually they brought the equipment into the room. I had some serious hallucinations. I tried to escape regularly, because I thought I was being held captive. Which I was, technically.
I was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis, but I had necrotizing pancreatitis. My pancreas was digesting itself and all of my other organs. Lungs, heart and kidneys were failing.
I didn't get proper treatment until I went into cardiac arrest. I had no breath or heartbeat for seven minutes.
I've been through hell. My family has been through hell. Generally, I'm not a whiner, but I have a lot to complain about.
Replies
I\'m kind of down in the dumps. I had a doctor\'s appointment last Friday. I had convinced myself that something positive was going to happen. When the GI doctor after the ERCP told me the problem would have to be fixed surgically, I interpreted that as \"we need to sew it up.\" I didn\'t think it meant,\"we\'re going to start taking out organs.\"
Okay, not fair. None of this has been fair. I don\'t have gallstones, or gallbladder disease (that they can detect) and I\'m not an alcoholic. I did not earn this disease.
I had a polyp removed by an incompetent doctor. Now I can\'t even pick up my granddaugher.
Seriously, if we\'re talking about removing the pancreas, why didn\'t they just take it out 10 months ago, sew me up and send me home to deal with shots and enzymes instead of pain and aggravation and a future that involves removing my pancreas. I want to pick up my granddaughter. I want to drive. I want to do yoga. I want to pick up a carton of milk. I want to have sex with my husband.
I\'m giving myself shots three times a day with a medicine that is supposed to slow down the creation of pancreatic enzymes. My drain is being flushed twice daily. This is an attempt to make it easier for the pancreas to heal. There is a rupture in the main duct. Near the head, not the tail. It\'s just one thing after another.
This is beyond my knowledge and education. Anything to do with the pancreas and pancreatitis is complicated and tough to diagnose and fix. My dr. just repeated that to me and I\'m tired of hearing they don\'t know what to do. I say they need to figure it out. As everyone here has a pancreas. I know people who have had great success with having their pancreas out and moving on with their lives. Everyone is different. I\'m sending you hugs and healing thoughts and pray that you will have 100% relief soon. I\'m having an EUS with shot in the nerve to the pancreas for pain this THursday. Can\'t wait. It hurts and I feel sick. Take care of you. Barb
My last drain is out. I had four at one point. It\'s been 15 months since they started sticking hoses in me. There is some danger that the fluid will start to accumulate again and I would have to get another drain. But, for the time being, I feel so much better without the drain and the constant pain and not being able to move comfortably.
I\'m sorry to hear of your misery. It does not seem fair to live a life of constant pain, but we don\'t have much say in the matter do we? I hope you will continue to improve, however slowly it may be.
Doctor has okayed me for surgery early in 2015 to repair the hernia. It will be an all day thing and there are risks. But this is my only option for moving forward. I\'m choosing to be optimistic. My pancreas has been partially removed and some of it is shriveled, but overall, it\'s working reasonably well. I take a lot of diabetes meds trying to control glucose numbers and I eat very carefully and will always have to be careful not to anger my pancreas.
Considering where I was a year ago, I am doing pretty well. I am a walking miracle and I am thankful to be alive.