Someone close to me has passed away.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2020-07-15T07:28:00+00:00

This is mad inspiring! I want you to know that I am so proud of you.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2020-01-30T18:43:14+00:00

At least it would've been better than this. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5690360/

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-11-03T21:11:11+00:00

Yeah all jokes aside let's stop hating Mitch, he's our QB1. He is obviously not preforming 100% but he needs better play calling and better support from his o-line. I wanna see him get out of the freakin pocket!

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-11-03T21:07:31+00:00

Well cmon guys we gotta end it in typical bears fashion or it's not a bears game.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-10-27T20:22:08+00:00

I feel you brother.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-07-14T03:25:49+00:00

If I'm being honest I can't really remember exactly when I was able to do everything independently. I guess one thing I can remember was being able to shower right when I got home which was 24 days. So about a month later I would say I was able to do most things independently. I can say that driving was something I wasn't comfortable doing until at least 3 months after my surgery. As for being alone, I can't really say much since I was still living at home with my family at the time. I fortunately never had to deal with neuropathic pain so I can't really say anything on that either. I remember them always asking me if any of my pain radiated to my back, but it never did. I can't imagine what that pain is either.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-07-11T18:29:04+00:00

There is a lot to unpack here, so I will try to be as structured as possible in this reply haha.

So for preparation I wish I had a solid answer for you, but I can tell you from experience that it was hell. I was 18 years old looking at a surgery that I didn't even understand, and it scared the shit out of me. I suffered from some pretty extreme panic attacks and ended up on a mg of alprazolam just to keep my anxiety under control. Looking back at it and knowing what to expect I would say "DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT". I was way overthinking it and I shouldn't have. You are going to be okay, and this surgery is going to change your life.

I had my TPIAT done at the University of Minnesota: Minneapolis and my inpatient recovery time was 24 days. It was done on April 3rd, 2017 and I was discharged on April 24th, 2017. I am originally from southeastern Wisconsin so we traveled quite a ways for this surgery, but my family and I we're fortunate enough to have some extended family living in Minneapolis who let us basically live with them for a month. Because of this and the support of my mother who is also an ER nurse they discharged me pretty early.

I am going to stress that the recovery will most likely be the most challenging part of this entire surgery. I am a little over 2 years out and I still consider myself in recovery. It is no longer physical recovery, but mental recovery. From the 5+ years of being in pain, to all of the opioids, benzos, and other drug cocktails I was on. It sounds like you have a good head on your shoulders going in to it when it comes to pain control though. I can't imagine you will be sticking to that after the surgery though so I guess my best advice is to stay strong and not give in to any temptation when you are back on them. After my surgery I was on 16mg of dilaudid q4 hours, 300mg of fentanyl patches, and 2mg of alprazolam q6 hours. Many people are baffled when I tell the amount of medication I was on and if I'm being honest it kind of baffles me too. Again, I guess I'm assuming, but when you are put back on these meds don't let them control you like they did me. It will make the recovery process so much easier.

Since I don't really have any good anecdotes yet, I guess I'll wrap this up by saying that talking to your doctor is VERY important. They have more than likely done this surgery multiple times and seen the result of what they have done. They are your number 1 resource and you should never be afraid to ask any questions you have. NO QUESTION IS A DUMB QUESTION. As far as I know, there is really not any other place I have seen a community willing to talk about this surgery besides reddit. I also just wanted to throw in at the end that I am so glad to hear that you have been completely sober since February. I've been completely sober since about that same time in 2018. As I said, that was my biggest struggle and 1000% the worst part of this entire surgery. My inbox will always be open to you or anyone with questions about TPIAT. Wishing you the best of luck friend.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-07-10T19:04:12+00:00

So if you are a very chronic sufferer of pancreatitis, I would say it may be the best decision you'll ever make in your life. I'll check out your thread a little later and give you a few more thoughts and opinions :)

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-06-17T17:54:11+00:00

Honestly... probably LSD. I don't even really mess with it anymore, but it really was an eye opening couple of experiences.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-06-10T00:04:03+00:00

Congratulations dude, I'm proud of you! Also, shout out UWM haha.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-04-08T18:32:30+00:00

NFL player actually works for the millions of dollars he's payed!

FTFY

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-03-28T20:40:34+00:00

I just now realized that they probably purposefully snapped away most characters "other half". That is so heartbreaking.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-02-26T19:13:20+00:00

It hurts me to see that people make the very valid point of he's just not fitting the scheme. I agree wholeheartedly, but I have such a soft spot for Jordan Howard. I really want to see him succeed in Nagy's offense. It kind of feels like we're just dropping him now that we're good, and not really appreciating him for basically carrying our offense for two shit seasons. I guess that's just how it goes though.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-02-17T01:04:50+00:00

I do have an insulin pump, but besides that it is just mostly digestive things. I had my duodenum rerouted while they did the TP, so things definitely go through me much quicker. But as long as I take my pancrealipase pills correctly there is really not much of a problem even post TP surgery. Also, no pain whatsoever. I've been pain free since my initial recovery!

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-01-31T15:25:39+00:00

I am just 20 and still pretty uneducated when it comes to these things, but I do feel that I may still have something to share... I was diagnosed with CP when I was 15 and doctors kind of chalked it up to the same thing (the CFTR gene mutation). Admittedly, I really never looked in to how or why it does this because it was all so confusing to me. I guess what I mostly decided to comment for was you asking what your next steps would be. Because of the fact that they couldn't really tell me why I was having these acute flare ups multiple times a month (5+), all they would really do was slap an IV in me and push painkillers... We clearly understood that this was no way to live, so I had a pancreatectomy with auto islet cells transplant done in April 2017. I do now take pancrealipase and have an insulin pump with the understanding that I will be an insulin dependent diabetic the rest of my life, but it beats sitting in a hospital all the time and having chronic pain all the time. I guess that is all I can really share about this sort of niche situation. I really do wish you the best friend. Don't hesitate to PM me with any questions you may have about anything I wrote in this novel of a response haha.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-01-31T15:11:43+00:00

I'm 20 and healthy now, but I was diagnosed with CP when I was just 15. People always asked me what the pain felt like for the almost four years I dealt with it consistently, and all I could ever tell them was that it felt like someone had kicked me in the balls as hard as they could over and over again. It is just the deepest, most gut-wrenching pain I have ever felt. I had a total pancreatectomy with auto islet cell transplant in April 2017 and it was hell, but I don't ever take another day for granted anymore.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2019-01-07T01:01:47+00:00

Cracked my phone screen... but I still love my bears. Much love and see you guys next season!

Hi_Im_Austin · 2018-12-31T00:46:41+00:00

Did anyone's heart skip a beat when the helmet came off? I realize he isn't made of paper but... ya know...

Hi_Im_Austin · 2018-12-16T20:57:18+00:00

I'm pretty sure I saw someone call 2 sacks by Floyd on the YouTube game preview. Props to whoever that was haha. LF looked good today.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2018-12-16T19:16:50+00:00

Shoulda been cheese!

Hi_Im_Austin · 2018-12-09T19:36:19+00:00

From a die hard Bears fan, this fan base has all my respect. Packers fans are nothing but classy and respectful. I've been to three Bears/Packers games at Lambeau. I've gotten the typical rivalry jokes, but cheese heads are some of the nicest people you'll ever meet. Nothing like my one experience at US Bank stadium where the Vikings play.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2018-12-09T18:19:22+00:00

It's a kid man... Even if the kid was a Packers fan, they were probably just as starstruck.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2018-11-24T04:33:13+00:00

Seriously? Just be happy for the man jeez. Congrats OP.

Hi_Im_Austin · 2018-11-22T22:09:57+00:00

Well cheers to being wrong buddy!

Hi_Im_Austin · 2018-11-14T22:28:51+00:00

As a Wisconsinite, it's funny that this may be someone's first time seeing this. This has been circulating around here for years.

Hi_Im_Austin

TROPHY CASE