My name is Dave Repczynski and I am from the Boston area. I am 48 years old and previously a totally healthy guy. My pancreas disease journey started in September 2022, on a day just like any other. I had lunch with my wife, and all was well, until the most prolonged and violent vomiting attack began. I kept thinking it must be food poisoning or a stomach bug, but things just did not stop – extreme pain right below my rib cage, sweats, fevers, and more vomiting. I believed the extreme pain in my abdomen was caused by the frequency of my vomiting, but I was wrong on all accounts. When admitted to the hospital with pancreatitis, I had the typical “nothing-by-mouth-sit-and-wait” diet for days.
I remember feeling like just hours before I was in complete control of my life – I had meetings to go to! Now though, nurses and doctors were in the driver’s seat. Only later did I realize this was not truly my first encounter with pancreas disease, as I recall similar circumstances about four years prior.
Diagnosis Challenges
Strangely, after days of tests and scans, there still was no conclusive diagnosis. My pancreatitis cleared and the small community hospital discharged me, wished me luck, and told me if this happened again, I should go someplace else. Naturally, I felt a bit lost and frustrated. There was no handoff to another provider, no referral or guidebook telling me how to proceed. I was told an ERCP/EUS procedure, sending a scope down my throat through the stomach into my intestine, was likely the best next step, and that bigger hospitals in Boston could help. I tried lining up GI consults but those were months away, if at all, for new patients without a diagnosis or referral. Luckily (though, I did not feel lucky at the time), two weeks later I had another pancreatitis attack, which set my plan into motion – drive to the Mass General Hospital ER (a 2-hour car ride in excruciating pain) to be admitted to a facility with the right experts.
I did end up getting an ERCP/EUS procedure, along with a stent. The experts at Mass General told me that an ampullary tumor was growing into my common bile and pancreatic ducts and intestine. Receiving that diagnosis and prognosis was difficult, to say the least. At that point, any illusion of being in control disappeared. Today, almost two years post-Whipple, I am living with EPI, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and feeling great. I do wish I had disclosed the EPI symptoms to my doctor sooner, as I lived with them for about three months before getting relief, but I’ve had no recurrence of pancreatitis since the surgery.
For over a year now, I’ve been committed to working out and following my new, post-Whipple diet, which entails many smaller meals, lots of fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, no alcohol or caffeine, low fats and no deep-fried foods (except an occasional onion ring to feed my soul). Prior to my pancreatic disease diagnosis, I was never so committed to keeping my body healthy – My Body 2.0. I am forever grateful for Dr. Tom Clancy at The Dana Farber Cancer Institute and my entire care team at Brigham and Women’s hospital for not only their kindness and brilliance, but also for saving my life.
Reflection and Advice
Reading other patient stories on The National Pancreas Foundation (NPF) website crystallized something for me. It is not important how pancreas disease enters our lives – what matters is we’re all in this together now and we can help each other through it. Confronting life’s curveballs can be incredibly rough at times. I will be the first to say Whipples are not fun. There will almost certainly be moments when we are challenged physically, mentally, and emotionally. If I can offer any advice, it is to consult your doctor sooner, rather than later, if something just isn’t right in your gut (in my case,
both figuratively and literally). It is easy to be stubborn and I waited too long, which caused me more suffering than necessary. Additionally, it is critical to be your own advocate and collaborate with your care team along the way.
It’s wonderful organizations like The NPF exist because they can help newly diagnosed patients and families become highly educated very quickly. Connecting with others who have been through similar situations can be incredibly insightful. If you are anything like me, I take indescribable comfort in the love, generosity and support I received from family, friends, and caring colleagues. Allow this love into your life even though it can feel uncomfortable at first. Everything I have encountered has given me a profound new perspective on priorities and how I want to spend my time: being the best father and husband I can be, staying healthy and strong, and helping my community.
