Jessica’s Story of Courage

I was diagnosed at 22 after having been in an out of the ER. In June I went to the ER with chest pains (or so I thought) and was told that I was fine. A month later I became severely ill at home vomiting and having horrible stomach pains to where i was crying. My father rushed me to the ER, and they told me I had a stomach virus. They gave me a nausea medication and sent me home although I kept saying I was in pain.

I stayed sick under the belief that I simply had food poisoning or a virus. After I couldn’t stand it i went to my family doctor. He told me he was going to run some test, but wasnt worried and it probably was just a bad virus.

My doctor called later that evening yelling for me to go back to the hospital because my tests came back abnormal.

My amylase was over 1800 and my lipase over 500.

According to the hospital records when I came in the previous time the doctors only gave me a pregnancy test and a drug test, not performing any other blood test, because of my age.

I remained in the hospital for 2 weeks. I was forced to drop my college classes and take time off, although it was supposed to be my last semester.

During this time it became known that pancreatic problems were on my fathers side. Three had died of pancreatic cancer and 1 of pancreatitis.

Since then I have had to monitor my eating habits, and i take Viokase with every meal. it is a hassle because sometimes I forget I cannot eat like the rest of my friends and I become sick.

But after being sick for so long I am glad to have my life back. I do wonder why it took so long for me to be diagnosed, but I am happy the answer became clear

I graduated college in 2010 and I am living happily