head of the pancreas, part of the small intestine, the lower half of the bile duct, the surrounding lymph nodes, the gallbladder, and sometimes part of the stomach. The remaining stomach, bile duct, and pancreas are then joined to the small intestine so that digestive enzymes can mix with food. Surgeons may also remove part of the portal vein (a blood vessel that allows blood to flow into the liver) if it has been invaded by a pancreatic tumor. Although this procedure is complex, it is safe and effective for many patients. 2
In getting ready for surgery, we were extremely fortunate that everything happened so quickly. As much as my family was stressed out (they knew how to use the Internet too), it was just 4 weeks from the initial CT-scan to surgery, with only a week between the consult with Dr. Coppa and the surgery itself.
As noted before, leading up to the surgery, I remained remarkably calm and took on the role of cheering up others – who needed a lot of pepping up. I’ve since learned that many people (by no means all) facing life-threatening surgeries are rather serene. I’m not sure why. In my case, I was so determined to live (despite the odds), to spend quality time with my family and friends, to be able to return to work, and to be at my daughter’s wedding that the negative alternatives didn’t cross my mind. In addition, I tried to focus on all that was good in my life rather than the dire situation I was in. I guess Dale Carnegie called this the power of positive thinking.
It was then that I promised myself to live life every day. To do more things that I enjoy. To stop being such a workaholic. To wake up and smell the flowers (see the good, not the bad in my life). And to not waste time