Happy and vivacious Bekay!


Bekay after non stop hospital/specialist visits.

It's crazy when over the course of a few short months, you see someone's life completely change. That's whats happened to our good and loyal friend Bekay (Brandon).

It was late November when I got a call informing me that Bekay had been rushed by ambulance to the Emergency Room.  What had started as a routine doctor's appointment, had morphed into the beginning of a terrible journey..one that has changed our friend's life overnight.

When I heard the words Chronic Pancreatitis , I honestly didn't know what to think.  Started googling like a maniac--trying to get some answers. It was then that I realized two things:

1) That Chronic Pancreatitis is an extremely serious condition that can lead all sorts of terrible things, including death; and

2) How truly uninformed, as a society, we are about this awful condition, and the Pancreas in general. Through the National Pancreas Foundation, I learned that most of the information being spread to the public was 'untrue' at best. I gained a much better perspective of what we were dealing with by reading this informative article, Stories of Courage: WHAT REALLY HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WITH PANCREATITIS?  

Meanwhile, I started noticing changes in Bekay. The first and scariest change I noticed was what seemed like rapid and massive weight loss. In a matter of weeks, he had lost over twenty (20) pounds. I learned that a major function of the Pancreas is to produce the necessary enzymes that allow the body to properly digest food. If the Pancreas isn't functioning properly, as Bekay's isn't, the body simply cannot digest food, and get any of the much needed nutrients from the food into our blood stream. Bekay was eating, but he just continued to lose more and more weight.

As I mentioned, this literally came out of nowhere. One day Bekay was his normal, outgoing, energetic self, and the next day we were lining up doctor appointment after doctor appointment, trying to get in to see the top specialists in the City. 

Each has their own routine, Bekay is being poked and prodded- Giving blood multiple times a week for months. Catscan after Catscan... multiple MRI tests including some special MRI that I had never heard of...Endoscopies..Endoscopic Ultrasounds...Non-Stop tests.  Not to mention the anesthesia he has to go under in order for many of these tests to be properly admistered. Days of fasting and hospital stays. Bekay is in terrible pain on a minute by minute basis..and no one has had any real answers.

He has seen the top Gastroenterologist at NYU Hospital--No answers. He has seen the top Gastroenterologist at the Pancreas Center  at New York Presbyterian/Columbia Univeristy Hospital--No answers. This is on top of multiple doctors and specialists in Brooklyn, not to mention the many doctors in the Emergency Rooms on his multiple visitis. EVERYONE acknowledges that something is very wrong...but no one has given him any hope..any guidance. And its scary...

Why is it so scary? First, Bekay is in terrible pain most of everyday. Its a stabbing, burning like pain, that rarely subsides.Secondly, there is no known cure for Chronic Pancreatitis. Imagine being told you have a disease, and then being told that there is no cure. Third, when suffering with Chronic Pancreatitis, over the course of time, the Pancreas becomes calcified --scar tissue builds and the Pancreas becomes tremendously inflamed.  As a result, the Pancreas slowly stops functioning, until it is completely useless. Living without a Pancreas is extremely tough and often results in other conditions,, such as diabetes, cancer, and sadly, death. 

Whats even more troubling is that this version of Chronic Pancreatitis is extremely rare. Some versions of Acute Pancreatitis, however awful, are relatively easily cured by the removal of a faulty Gall Bladder. Additionally, sometimes a high fat intake or alchohol use can trigger Acute Pancreatitis . In these cases, extreme dieting and lack of alcohol intake can positively effect a person suffering with Pancreatitis. Unfortunately, Bekay falls into a very rare percentage, and none of this applies to his situation. Very frustrating. 
 
Bekay is a fighter and isn't taking this lying down. He is trying every possible known treament. Unfortunately, the local doctors cannot seem to help him find the appropriate treament. Thankfully, a place like the Mayo Clinic  exists. The Mayo Clinic, located in Rochester, Minnestoa, is always at the forefront of creating and discovering unqiue and new methods to treat disease. Bekay has been in touch with the Mayo Clinic and they believe they have certain experimental, groundbreaking treatment, that can allow him to live a more normal life. No one is promising a cure, but they certainly seem optimistic that with their assistance, Bekay can get some semblance of his normal life back. 

Unfortunately, the Mayo Clinic doesn't accept Bekay's medical insurance. This is where we, his friends and family, can step in, and make sure that he receives the necessary medical treatment he needs in a timely fashion. Every day matters. Every day he doesn't get the proper help, is a day closer to his Pancreas completely failing.

Bekay is a fun loving, silly guy, who at one time or another has made each and every one of us laugh with a stupid joke, or leant us an ear when we really needed one (some though music others in regular life). He is also a prideful guy, and would never himself ask for help. But he needs it. He is getting worse and worse as the days progress. We have to get him out to the Mayo Clinic ASAP, so he gets the medical treatment he so desperately needs. 

Any donation is tremendously appreciated. There is no amount that won't make a difference.  Thank you in advance for being a great friend and helping in any way that you can.