Blessings of Baby Barber

The past several months have gone by so quickly! I can't believe I will be 24 weeks this Friday. Baby Barber has been such a blessing to Scott and I after the past 2 years of health issues with my pancreas. When we found out that we were expecting, we were overwhelmed with surprise and excitement! Finally we had some good news from a doctors appointment.

My pregnancy has went really well considering my pancreas problems; with only a few trips to the hospital. It was my 4th day of teaching in August when I felt the terrible pancreas pains. Scott had gone to Fort Payne to check on some tornado damage to our cabin. I called my doctor and they wanted me to come in to be evaluated. My pancreas levels were elevated... meaning I was in the beginning stages of another case of pancreatitis. Fortunately, we caught it just in time. I stayed in the hospital for several hours and after lots of IV fluids my levels decreased and I was able to go home.

Due to my recent trip to the hospital my doctor felt that it was best for me to take a years medical leave from work. This was not a decision I could come to easily... I had considered it the previous year and never followed through. However, now the decision wasn't only about me, it was about the best interest of the baby. After lots of tears, I knew what needed to be done. I contacted my principal (who is such a blessing to me) and she agreed as well. She didnt want to see me leave teaching, but felt it was time to do what was best. She found me a long term sub, and made sure everything with my students were handled with care. She assured me that she wanted me to have this sweet baby, have my pancreas transplant and get well so I could come back to teaching after this year.

I began to feel awful again in September. After lots of blood work, they found I had some sort of infection, but could not really pin point what kind. My doctor felt like it was in my Biliary Tree again. I took 2 weeks worth of antibiotics and felt so much better.

Thankfully, I have not had any major complications this pregnancy. We found out in September that we are having a little GIRL!!! Her name will be Landry Grace. We are so excited and can't wait till she arrives in Feb 2011.

Meeting Dr. Sutherland

Our appt. with Dr Sutherland went very well. We all say down and talked for about and hour. He once again agreed that I was a great candidate for the surgery. He said he has previous patients who got pregnant before the transplant, had a good pregnancy and then had the transplant after the baby was born and are going great. He gave me the contact number of a woman my age in MS who has the almost exact situation as me. I hope to contact her very soon.
Dr. Sutherland said he has done 375 transplants in 30 years! Only 2 out of 375 were Lap transplants. The others left the large scar from the major incision down the entire belly. He said the Lap transplant takes around 16-18 hours where the large incision takes 12-14. He would try the Lap if I wanted him to, but could not promise once he got in there he could do it. It would just depend on what he finds.... Like Dr Freeman, he wants me to focus on the baby now and when its born if I am still hurting contact him for the transplant. I am staying very optimistic that between my pregnancy horomones and God a miracle will happen and the pain will go away for good!

Our trip to Minnesota..

Our flight to MN went very well. We left Birmingham June 21 at 7:50 and landed in MN around 10:30. My first appt. was at 2:30 with Dr. Freeman (GI doctor). He was running way behind so we were at his office from 1:30-5:30. We really like him! He came in and sat down with Scott, my mom, dad and I for an hour. He read through my chart and we discussed my previous procedures at UAB and my medical history. He said that my pancreas was VERY diseased! He said when an EUS shows a 7/9 that is extremely diseased. Dr. Freeman said he wished I had an EUS before all of my ERCP's so he could compare the past to now. That would help him to see if my pancreas has gotten worse over the past two years or if its about the same. We have no way of knowing now without a previous EUS, but he said regardless its really bad.
Dr. Freeman believes that due to my age, having NO other medical problems and not being on narcotics I am a perfect candidate for the transplant. He said I was almost too perfect and he wished he could use me on a research study. However, due since I am pregnant he wants me to focus on the baby for the next 7 months and see how I feel then. If the pain is still the same he wants me to come back to MN for the transplant. It is the only treatment option I have. It is such a scary feeling knowing there is only one thing left they can try. I have just got to believe that miracles do happen and pray about what to do. The transplant will take away my pacnreas pain, but will make me a diabetic and there is no definite percentage that I will ever be able to come off the insulin. Some individuals have and some have not... it will all depend on how well my body accepts the islet cell transplant. I'll post about my appt with Dr. Sutherland (transplant surgeon) soon. Thanks for all the prayers this week. I really appreciate them!

Packed for Minnesota

Well the day we have been planning for months is finally here. We fly to Minnesota tomorrow morning. My first appointment is at 2:30 tomorrow with my gastrointerologist. On Tuesday I have some tests ran and meet with Dr. Sutherland. I am very nervous about what he will tell me, but ready to hear it just as well. So far my pregnancy is going great and I just pray it continues for 8 months. I just have to trust in God each day that what he has planned for me will be. I will update you all soon in regard to the news we get from Dr. S.

We're EXPECTING!!!

Our plans have changed a little bit due to our little surprise! We are expecting a little one! Scott and I are so excited and happy. We truly feel that Gods plan for me at this time was much greater than the plan we had made for ourselves with the transplant. We are so thankful for this blessing from God.
We are still going to Minnesota June 21 to meet with Dr. Sutherland. The transplant will not happen until after the baby if they still feel it is what I need at that time. My OB-GYN has already started checking my amylase and lipase levels and wants me to have all my records sent to her. She wants to have everything she needs in case I get sick and have to be hospitalized since I will have to be at St Vincents now instead of UAB. I have had a great past 6 months and pray for another 8 months of good health. God is wonderful and I know he has a plan for us and he will watch over this baby and take care of us through it all. I go for an ultrasound in 4 weeks! I will update you all again once we get to Minnesota in a few weeks.

I Finally Have a Date

I spoke with Louise this morning. The committee met lastnight and reviewed my case. We will fly to Minnesota on June 20th. On Tuesday (22nd) I will go into the hospital that morning for some genetic testing with lots of blood work and evaluations. We will be able to sit down and talk to Dr Sutherland during our visit. I feel really good about this intial trip up. This way we can share our concerns and get answers to our questions through the meeting with Dr. Sutherland. Once all my tests are complete, they will take the results back to the committee to evaluate. We hope from that point we will have a surgery date and will begin the process of getting my insurance company to approve the surgery.
I will keep you all updated once we get to Minnesota. Thanks again for all your prayers!

EUS Results

I had the EUS Monday morning at UAB. Everything went well besides the usual affects of the anesthesia. I slept all day and had a terrible headache. Dr. Eloubeidi found that I had a very diseased pancreas. The criteria for pancreatitis is measured on a scale 0-9 with 9 being the worst and mine was a 7! It was actually more diseased than we had expected. I am back to waiting for all of the pictures and results to be sent to Minnesota. Once Dr. Sutherland recieves my infomation hopefully he will have all the tests he needs to present my case to the team. I just hope and pray that we know something soon. All of this waiting is the hardest part!

Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS)

Dr. Sutherland called me Sunday night. He asked lots of questions and we discussed several things in regard to the Auto Islet Cell Transplant. He said he is trying really hard to schedule only one trip for us. He did need me to go a head and have another procedure, it is a Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS). I called my doctor at UAB and it is scheduled for Monday morning (4/26) at 8 am. I will be admitted that morning and put to sleep. They will go in and measure the criterias for my chronic pancreatits. Hopefully I will be discharged Monday afternoon once most of the anesthesia wears off. These criterias will help Dr. Sutherland a lot with the planning process. I will update you all again next week after my EUS.

Another week of waiting...

I talked with Dr. Sutherland today. They did not get my file together in time to present Wednesday, but they have it ready now and will present it next week. We did discuss having one other procedure in the next week or so here at UAB with Dr. V, an Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS). This will give some other helpful information for Dr. Sutherland. I'll be admitted to the hospital and be put to sleep with a mild sedation. Dr. V is in Switzerland until Sunday, so I will not know any details of the EUS until Monday. This week of waiting seems like its lasted FOREVER! Now we have another week to wait on any details. To me waiting and wondering about the "What if's" is the worse part. I am ready for some detail answers and dates so I can begin to prepare and have some closure about it all. Today was not a good day for me. I did not have any energy and had some sensitive abdominal pain, but most of all a terrible headache! Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Just Registered...

Louise from the transplant center called today. She said that she was going to compile all of my records and CD's of previous surgeries and if she could get it all together before Wednesday she would present it to the team. If she did not do it Wednesday it would be next week. After talking to her I just don't feel so great about it all. She was very nice, dont get me wrong, but so matter of fact about the transplant, so now I feel so apprehensive and nervous about it. My emotions have been going 90 to nothing since last week as it is and now they are going even faster. I know this is what's expected in a time like this, but my nerves are starting to get the best of me. I have ALWAYS gone to bed around 8-9:00 and now I am wide awake at 12:00!!! I just can't seem to get it all off my mind..... I hope and pray that the days ahead will get better :)
I did however get registered. That put me on the official transplant list and they will be sending out a packet of what to expect in the days ahead. They will call regarding the surgery after the team meets. Could be a couple weeks or so before we know any details.

Why I decided to blog...

A sweet friend I work with called me one day and said she had a friend that struggled with the same problems as me for years until she had her pancreas removed. She called her friend in South Carolina and told her about me and got all kinds of WONDERFUL information for me to read. Dr. Sutherland removed her pancreas in 2009 and she is now pain free and so blessed to have her life back! Through her surgery she met a girl who blogged her entire transplant. I have read her blog over and over!!! It has helped me to see what I will soon be facing, some good things and even the not so good parts of the transplant. Regardless, her daily posts have been a blessing to me :)
I decided to do this because I have family and friends all over the place who have been sOo WONDERFUL to pray for me and keep up with me this past year. I thought this might be the easiest way for my Scott and I to update everyone. We will try our best to update things as soon as we can.

How it begins.....

My husband (Scott) and I met with my Gastroenterologist, Dr. King last week. After a year full of hospitalizations for chronic pancreatitis, we decided that the next step for me is going to a Pancreatic Surgeon in Minnesota. As much as we have tried to avoid the possibilty of having my pancreas removed, we decided that is the BEST option to end a year full of frustration and pain. I emailed Dr. Sutherland at The University of Minnesota Thursday morning and he replied that same day!!! He told me to have my medical records sent to his office as soon as possible and that he and his team would review my case. That day I called every hospital and had my records sent. I typed up my medical history and emailed it to Dr. Sutherland. The next morning I recieved another email from him! I was so amazed at how quick he responded! He said that after reading my medical history I was certainly a candidate for the Auto Islet Cell Transplant and that he would put me in contact with the RN of the Transplant Center. I replied thanking him for emailing me back and asked if we would fly out for an intial meeting and schedule a surgery date or would we fly out and meet/ have the surgery the same week. He once again emailed me right back and said they would do their best to schedule one flight out, but could not promise. I have not met Dr. Sutherland yet, but I already feel the passion he has for his patients and doing all he can to make them feel well again. Dr. Sutherland and his team will meet this week about my case. They will call after the meeting to set up an appointment. I will update you all as soon as I find out.