Surgery Decision

glmorris
glmorris Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Rare and Other Cancers #1
My mom was just recently diagnosed with PC. She is having a hard time deciding if she wants to go through the surgery. She's 80 and is otherwise in very good health. She is concerned about the recovery and complications from the whipple surgery at her age. Is there anyone on this message board that has had or know someone who has had the surgery at the same age? She would like to know what their experience was and what to expect.

Comments

  • AuthorUnknown
    AuthorUnknown Member Posts: 1,537 Member
    #2
    Hello,

    You may want to read through some of the postings on this board and see if there is someone who meets the criteria you are looking for. You can also do a search of the personal webpages. To do this, click on the "personal web pages" link on the left hand side of this page. You can then enter the criteria you are looking for. If you find someone you would like to contact, you can do so through the internal CSN email.

    For more information on all of the CSN functions, including the internal CSN email, click on the "help" link at the top of this page.

    I wish your mother the best on her treatment.

    Take care and be well,

    Dana
    CSN Dana
  • jimnsherry
    jimnsherry Member Posts: 23
    #3
    Hello, I cannot tell your mom what to do, but here is the bottom line I think. If she doesn't have the surgery chances are very likely she can pass away within a year, of course this is figuring that nothing is done at all, like chemo. those are the statistics anyway. The whipple procedure is very very hard to come through. I have been told it is the worst operation to recover from. I was a very healthy 56 year old man and then I had a whipple procedure, I lost 30 pounds right away, I was so weak for six weeks after that I thought I would rather die. Of course I am great now at the age of 59, however the Pancreatic Cancer I had was in the Ampullar of Vader, and this is the most curable type of Pancreatic Cancer from what I have been told. I wish your mom well, and I am not a doctor and I don't know what her real actual chances are, and ATTITUDE has everything to do with it too. There are some people that just have GREAT attitude and that gives them more years and defies science statistics. All's I know is that the whipple procedure itself might cause your mom to pass away, it is definitely rough. I hope I have not been too hard on you, I do not intend to hurt anyone only to help. Thanks, Jim
  • glmorris
    glmorris Member Posts: 2
    #4
    jimnsherry said:

    Hello, I cannot tell your mom what to do, but here is the bottom line I think. If she doesn't have the surgery chances are very likely she can pass away within a year, of course this is figuring that nothing is done at all, like chemo. those are the statistics anyway. The whipple procedure is very very hard to come through. I have been told it is the worst operation to recover from. I was a very healthy 56 year old man and then I had a whipple procedure, I lost 30 pounds right away, I was so weak for six weeks after that I thought I would rather die. Of course I am great now at the age of 59, however the Pancreatic Cancer I had was in the Ampullar of Vader, and this is the most curable type of Pancreatic Cancer from what I have been told. I wish your mom well, and I am not a doctor and I don't know what her real actual chances are, and ATTITUDE has everything to do with it too. There are some people that just have GREAT attitude and that gives them more years and defies science statistics. All's I know is that the whipple procedure itself might cause your mom to pass away, it is definitely rough. I hope I have not been too hard on you, I do not intend to hurt anyone only to help. Thanks, Jim

    Thank you for the information. No need to apologize I needed someone to tell me what to expect and not just the rosy side from someone who hasn't gone through it. I would much rather know what to expect and be grateful when the bad doesn't happen or not be discouraged if some set back or complication happened. My mom decided to have the surgery. She had it on 2/8 and did very well with only one minor set back after surgery. She was just released from the hospital on monday 2/19. So far doing well other than being tired. Her tumor was also in the ampulla, but the preliminary pathology is pancreatic cancer and there is the possiblity it may come back. Her surgeon is one of the best (no bed side manner though) and she actually did better than we thought she would. Gina
  • jimnsherry
    jimnsherry Member Posts: 23
    #5
    glmorris said:

    Thank you for the information. No need to apologize I needed someone to tell me what to expect and not just the rosy side from someone who hasn't gone through it. I would much rather know what to expect and be grateful when the bad doesn't happen or not be discouraged if some set back or complication happened. My mom decided to have the surgery. She had it on 2/8 and did very well with only one minor set back after surgery. She was just released from the hospital on monday 2/19. So far doing well other than being tired. Her tumor was also in the ampulla, but the preliminary pathology is pancreatic cancer and there is the possiblity it may come back. Her surgeon is one of the best (no bed side manner though) and she actually did better than we thought she would. Gina

    I am very happy to hear that the surgery went well, I hope everything is still going good too, keep your chin up and only expect good things. Jim
  • SATTERMAN1
    SATTERMAN1 Member Posts: 5
    #6
    jimnsherry said:

    I am very happy to hear that the surgery went well, I hope everything is still going good too, keep your chin up and only expect good things. Jim

    ampular
    jim, it's been awile since you posted. i also had a whipple for ampular cancer. did you have chemo, how are you now...thanks, john
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #7
    This comment has been removed by the Moderator

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