Wednesday, February 4, 2009

HAPPY WHIPPLE-VERSARY DAD!

A year and a half ago, my Dad was diagnosed with Pancreatic Cancer.

And a year ago this week, he had one of the most complicated and intense surgeries ever.

The procedure is called THE WHIPPLE. I know, I know, it sounds harmless, right?

It should be called something like: THE BEASTMASTER or THE VORTEX OF FIRE or something else along those lines.

Doctors love their diagrams. One particular day, pre-surgery, we asked a doctor a question, and he answered it by drawing this:

I have no idea what the original question was, but the answer must have been "BANANA."

Before the procedure, they will show you pictures like these:









I prefer my own interpretation of the surgery, with my own diagrams.














The basic rules of THE WHIPPLE (In Brodi's mind) are threefold:

1. Anytime you find an organ, cut it in half. Remove the half that was closest to the pancreas.

2. Sew the remaining halves back together. Keep in mind, after THE WHIPPLE, the knee bone will no longer be connected to the thigh bone, except via the jawbone of an ass.

3. If you hear a loud BUZZ, or if the patient's nose turns red, you must start over.

Congratulations, Dad, on surviving! Happy Whipple-versary!

9 comments:

  1. (In my best Napoleon Dynamite voice) Idiot! I just realized you have been commenting to my comments in your blog all along. You must think me a dough head!

    I would love meet up and visit B&N! Ben keeps saying he needs to make good on his BYU/UofU pizza promise so we can finally meet :) Don't let him weasle out of the bet!

    Congrats to your dad! I love the diagram of the banana :)

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  2. That was a great post and so true...I think they only made his nose buzz one time when they bumped into the thigh bone.

    Dennis a fighter and he had great care. It is pretty amazing to see him going in to work and looking great.

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  3. I remember that diagram and all of us sitting there going, "Huh?" and then craving a banana split from The Pointe. Ahhh, those were the days. Fond, yes, but glad we're moving on! Way 2 go Dad on being a cancer survivor!

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  4. Happy WhippleVersary! You are one blessed dude.

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  5. I'm so glad that was last year. I'm also glad for the anatomy lesson. I didn't know that we even had a whipple. It looked like the whipple was connected to everything!

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  6. Happy Whipple-versary!!!!!!! Cancer sucks!!!!!!! I love that there are happy endings!!!!!!!

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  7. I am so glad that the surgery worked and that your Dad is doing well.

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  8. yah! we are so glad there is celebrating this day! :O)

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