A Pancreatitis Update

Kolette has been out of the hospital for a week and a half and when the doctor kept telling us that the main problem we would be dealing with is the severe pain that pancreatitis causes, he wasn’t kidding.  Each day is like its own little roller coaster where the pain swings from feeling manageable to being completely overwhelming.  Just when we think we have it figured out, another pain will pop up that we’ll have to tackle.

We are playing the waiting game right now.  Waiting for her pancreas to settle down – it is about five times its normal size and wreaking havoc on everything.  In the meantime, fluid is collecting and possibly forming what’s called a “pseudo-cyst.”  If the pseudo-cyst forms, it may have to be drained through an incision on the stomach.  Her gallbladder is patiently waiting (still filled with it’s own collection of stones) to be removed.  But all of this is contingent on the state of the pancreas, which is why we are waiting for that to get healthier – much healthier.    www.medicinenet.com seems to be a helpful site in understanding what is happening, why it is happening, and where we are headed.

Kolette has had a PICC line since the ICU and she uses it now to get hooked up to her food each night.  She can eat and certainly tries to eat but one of the major problems with this is that your pancreas aides in the digestion of food.  So when your pancreas isn’t working, eating causes intense pain.

While we continue to wait for the pancreas to calm down, we wanted to thank you for your thoughts and prayers and good wishes.  We won’t know until June 2 if she is ready for her additional surgeries or not.  Then, of course, that is a recovery on its own.  But we are glad to be this far along and have faith that each day will bring Kolette closer to being healthy and pain-free.  Thank you for your kindnesses to her and to our family.

- Jason