There is life after Whipple!

[suef]

I had a Whipple in February 2010 because of a tumour on my pancreas. My hobby before that was walking, and I never thought I would have the strength to get back to it. But in September 2011, together with a very patient friend, I did most of the Hadrian's Wall path, did around 80 miles over 10 days, very slowly, but felt fantastic!

[rachelqt]

Hi suef,

Its lovely to hear a positive story and outcome from PC! What an acheivement to walk this distance. Im sure there is alot of people who have not been through what you have, who would find this difficult to do. Well Done! Wishing you continued strength and best wishes..Rachel x

[AnneD]

Hi suef,

Yes there certainly can be life after a Whipple.

Well done for walking the Hadrian's Wall Path.

I had a Whipple in December 2010 following a distal pancreatectomy the year before.

Now, with no pancreas at all, I have a good life and although I haven't walked as far as you, not in one go, anyway, I find walking really enjoyable.

Best wishes,

Anne

[suef]

Lovely to hear these stories. I have to admit that life is not all roses, I still get dreadful diarrhea occasionally and that was my main fear on the Walk, despite taking 15-20 Creon a day and being careful with food. But on the whole life is great and I consider myself really lucky

[Trevor F]

Of course there is life post-Whipples. That’s the whole purpose of having the operation !

I had my Whipples in June 2009 carried out by an Italian surgeon. He cut out a tumour that was 1mm away from crossing a major artery. I called it my Italian Job. I was discharged from hospital on 8 July 2009 and went back to work on 8 September 2009. I lost over a stone in weight and never put it back on but my wife thought it made me look more handsome so I didn’t mind.

I then had some adjuvant chemotherapy which made me feel very sore. But I started to travel again on business and by summer 2010 I was playing the occasional round of golf again. We drove to Sicily in the summer, I was travelling to Switzerland on business and in 2011 I went to the US on business.

And I’m still beavering away in 2012. It’s amazing how quickly your body heals after which you can do anything and go anywhere.

[PCUK Nurse Jeni]

Truly inspiring stuff on here - long may you enjoy a complete recovery, and continue to live life to the fullest possible!

Jeni.

[Desertmouse]

I had a Whipples procedure in June 2011 and was back running at the end of July. By the end of August I was just a few seconds below the time for 1.5 miles to pass my military fitness test! It all went to rats in Sept when I developed metastatic disease in my liver - running with a rapidly enlarging liver was not comfortable. Already a cox I took on a second crew and as well as coxing throughout the winter on the Cam I have also coxed the Championship Tideway course (aka Boat Race course) three weeks before the infamous Boat Race this year and am hoping to be coxing at the National Masters at the National Watersports Centre in Nottingham in two weeks time.

If I have any advice for someone having a Whipples it is to get as physically fit as you can pre-op and start exercising gently as soon as you can post op. Even if the operation is not successful (recurrent disease despite clear margins at resection) quality of life can be very good.