WHIPPLES PLUS THREE by John Hudson
I am pleased to be able to offer these reflections 3 years after having a Whipple’s operation, not least as a way of saying “thank you” to all involved via the NHS in my diagnosis, treatment (surgery x2 & chemo) and follow up (clinics & dietician) at University Hospitals of Leicester & locally our GP surgery. Equally I have been blessed with great support from family & friends without which the journey would have been much harder. I found leaflets produced by Macmillan Cancer Support very helpful in the early days. It was also good to be made aware of other support services available although in my case I did not feel the need to draw upon them.
It all began back in 2013 when as a Blood Donor my regular donation was declined. Eventually a malignant cancer in the duodenum was discovered and the treatment was to be a “Whipples” operation, something I had never heard of before.
My life is as near “normal” as it could be for a retired man of 71 who has never had a serious illness in his life!
My understanding of life post-Whipples is that the main challenge is the satisfactory absorption of food via “creon” capsules. These are my lifeline and apart from once I have remembered to take my little box of capsules with me wherever I go. My wife keeps some in reserve for me too.
To start with my regime consisted of six small meals a day but I now manage three. Quantities tend to be smaller than they used to be (though my family might query that!) and when out for a meal after starting on choices from the “light bite” menu I now tend to go “main menu” but only two courses.
I have always enjoyed my food and there is nothing I avoid apart from battered fish which I seem to struggle with. To start with I probably took too few creon capsules so now live on the basis that “more is better than less”. I have 400 of them prescribed each month. I also drink more water with them now, still aiming for the 3 litres a days recommended to me after my operation.
My weight seems to stay constant though I do monitor this myself as well as being weighed at clinic.
I especially appreciate the close eye kept on me by my dietician whose phone calls I always welcome. If I report anything of concern then she usually sends me to the GP for a blood test to assess if there are any deficiencies and adjustments are made accordingly. My GP also keeps a close watch on my glucose level for signs of possible diabetes.
One particularly good tip I received from my dietician is to avoid hot drinks with meals and so I wait for an hour for food to begin digesting, and consequently enjoy them all the more!
I sometimes have days of feeling very tired though these are now much less frequent. When this happens I go to bed in the afternoon, otherwise my days are full and active (but nothing too energetic!).
Especially since the chemo I have tended to take more care over personal hygiene, for instance continuing to brush my teeth frequently through the day and trying to get some exercise each day. I take going to the toilet regularly very seriously and keep an eye (and nose) on my motions.
I guess after major surgery it is common to “listen more to the body” but I try not to get too paranoid about every ache, pain or lump that can be part of everyday life.
As I expected I experienced a range of emotions since becoming aware that something was not quite right and found the six months of chemotherapy especially challenging. However honest speaking, clear explanations and caring attention have made all the difference, as has having a personal faith.
August 2018
