Saturday, July 3, 2010

Pancreatitis?



Raymond isn't feeling well.  He hasn't eaten or had any beer all day.  Normally his having consumed no beer would be a good thing, if only it didn't indicate that he's feeling physically unwell.  He has a strange eating schedule when times are good, but the fact that he had no desire to eat at dinner time was odd. That's when he brought it to my attention that not only hadn't he eaten all day, but he hadn't had any beer either.  This is extremely out of character. 

Only one thing makes Raymond stop drinking and that one thing is a bout of pancreatitis.

He hasn't had one in over two years. Maybe this is a reality check.  We have both stopped thinking about his pancreas. Well, I have anyway. 

The fact is that according to our PCP, Raymond should not drink at all and should give up slathering his food with mayo and should NEVER eat another hot dog. Raymond continues to do all those things.  The man has never met a fatty meat that he didn't like!  And for the past two years, his pancreas has gone along with the program. 

I'm a little bit worried.  I haven't suggested an ER trip yet.  

During the last bout, the ER visit was an incredible waste of time.  Apparently his body has become so adept at adjusting for the irregularities in these times, that his blood work appeared relatively normal and the ER doctor wouldn't admit him or prescribe any intensive pain relievers.  Our PCP had predicted that this would happen over time. We are blessed that she knows Raymond so well, because she gave him a prescription for a few major painkillers knowing that he would only take them as needed.  Those pills got him through his last attack two years ago.  Between several days on a bland diet and the pain pills, he made it without having to be hospitalized.

He just took 1/2 of one of those two year old painkillers.  It's his last one.  Here's praying it works. 

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