Finished Processing

OK so the long awaited, or not, update.

I have had over a week to process all my information and I think I am at a good point.

The thing is I HAVE to get this cyst from my pancreas removed.  The thing is pancreas surgery is a BEAR and I may or may not be in good enough health to deal with it.  The surgeon is worried, and rightly so, about my lung function and bacteria growth in my lungs, and recovery.  Bacteria from my lungs can cause all sorts of issues with the healing of a sliced up pancreas.  My low lung function means I could never come off the vent or I could die.  But not having it removed means I may never get a transplant and I may get cancer.  Neither risks I am willing to take.  I may not be 100% sure I WANT a transplant, but I know I don't want the option taken off the table.

The stats on this surgery are crazy.  30-60% of patients experience post-surgical complications.  5% of patients die during surgery.  Roughly 5% die from complications after surgery.  Scary to me, but I also didn't ask about the stats when I had the hysterectomy.  It seemed simple and easy.  Though when you Google the stats it seems just as scary.  So maybe I have nothing to fret about.

My cyst right now is on the head of the pancreas and the whole head will need to be removed.  The size is 2.6cm right now and we will see in May if it has grown to the magic number of 3cm.  3cm and the surgeon told me they remove it.  But because I have Lynch Syndrome and they are recently learning the affects of LS on the pancreas, they would recommend it coming off, if I did not have CF or transplant to think of.

After the appointment on Tuesday, the surgeon began a chain email with my GI doc, genetics doc, tx team and CF doc.  I was pleasantly surprised he started it that day and did not expect to see my CF doc on Wednesday and hear what had been discussed.  Tx was asking a bunch of questions, as I would expect.  Dr. D. does not see any serious risks (besides the vent thing) to me having the surgery and vowed they would do all they could to be sure my lungs were in the best shape possible.  Luckily I see the transplant doc early May, before the MRI and surgeon again.

As far as CF clinic went...I was down a bit lunch function.  At 32% again, 1.00L exactly.  She wants to see me monthly until the surgery to be sure I am ready.  As she said, I am stable, I dip here and there but nothing drastic.  I am not on O2 full time and only require a small amount with sleep.  Thanks to exercise my resting heart rate and O2 have gotten better so I am in good shape for surgery.  But I am still scared.  I will be scared until the surgery is over.

The transplant coordinator called me earlier this week to let me know that due to all of this, they want me to get up to date on all of my transplant tests again.  So back to the dentist I went, back to the PCP I go for those tests and I get to spend a day or two wandering around BWH getting all my tests done again...except the cardiac cath and pH probe thankfully.  I can deal with CT scans, echos, PFTs, labs and meetings with docs.  I don't know what this means for me.  Do they want to reconsider my case and list me?  Or disqualify me?  I won't find out until May 2nd.......................................

Love to you all...