From Paul Flickinger

Thank you to those who sent birthday greetimgs im August. I am just now able to send a reasonable reply. I had two cancerous tumors removed from my pancreas (took out half my pancreas and spleen)on Aug.12. The procedure was done by computer and I should have been home in 3 days. Instead the procedure nicked the splenic artery and they had to open me from sternum to navel to fix the bleeder, I spent 9 days in the hospital trying to recover from different complications such as A Fib, A flutter etc. All seemed to be good at home for four days until I developed other issues such as slurred speech and blood clots. A visit to the local ER provided negative results for a stroke but they sent me back to the hopital 77 milew away in Atanta for more follow-up I was the there for 4 weeks before going to a rehab facility for 4 weeks but I was not doing well there. I was sent back to the hospital so that additional tests could be run. Finally a neurologist was called in - after basic tests he diagnosed me with CIDP, not life threatening but some life changing. I have had four IVIG infusions which have helped and will get two more next week. I am now at a different rehab and have regained control of hand movements so then they coordinate with my eyes and brain. I expect to be here for another 2-3 weeks.

Big shoutout to Nan who has been staying in my room 6 days/ nights a week and been helpful in watching everything the docs and nurses did amd caught them a few times before they would make a mistake.Also a shout out to my doctor son who was in constant contact with the surgeon and provided many great suggestions from an internist point of view