General Discussion
In reply to the discussion: A good friend is having a Whipple Procedure today. [View all]ismnotwasm
(42,089 posts)Post Whipple care is part of the kind of nursing I do, so Ive seen a lot of them.
Its pretty painful post op, still, he will be encouraged to ambulate as soon as possible (we have a surgeon who will come and visit his own patients to walk with them as soon as possible after surgery) and he will have a pain button or PCA. We also have whats called a Whipple pathway diet afterit basically starts the patient off very slow with food and fluids. Sometimes, people come out of surgery with a tube in their nose for stomach decompression. This annoys patients the most. Hell have IV fluids, and probably a Foley catheter. He might have a drain. If hes an independent person, coming out of everything tethered to all that will be disconcerting and people have different ways of dealing with it. (Anger, humor, depression, withdrawal etc)
Its an incredible surgery, and can significantly extend life, its even occasionally curative.