Chronic Pancreatitis: Like Eating Razor Blades
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What Happened – Completely Unexpected Diagnosis: Chronic Pancreatitis
One of my five young sons just learned that he is stricken with Chronic Pancreatitis.
I asked my son, “How was the oatmeal?”
He replied, “Does not go down as easy as one would imagine. It’s like eating ‘razor blades.’”
This is the beginning of a very long journey for my son, Brett. He is 26 years old, medic in the military, college student, brother, uncle, friend, volunteer, confidant, dog owner, music lover, avid reader, movie enthusiast, and foodie. After uncovering the reasons for why he has been suffering from massive weight loss and debilitating abdominal pain for the past few years, we’ve found out that the fight has just begun.
I am mom. I am requesting funding for my son to help offset external, financial stressors to help cover known and unknown expenses my son is now dealing with in experimenting with different treatment paths to reduce the intense daily pain from Pancreatitis.
Recommended Treatment – Pain Management to Recover from Malnutrition and Maintain Eating Ability
Once a strong athlete, Brett, 6’ 1’’, now weighs only 123 pounds and experiences chronic pains and malnutrition due to this diagnosis. This is the second time in his life that he has had to face searing and agonizing debilitation in his abdomen. The first time happened when he was 16 and in high school. His appendix had ruptured inside his body and had begun to make him septic. Brett lost 22 pounds in 10 days and was hospitalized for the same duration. Brett made it through. Even with a constant morphine drip, his unwavering strength was evident as he continued to study and take tests for school while in his hospital bed. Brett is a fighter and a survivor. Chronic Pancreatitis is a life-long, excruciatingly painful disorder that has no cure. The only treatment is pain management whether it’s through opioids, regular spinal injections, or even ketamine therapy.
How Your Funds Will Make A Difference – Cover Financial Burdens While In Recovery Mode
Your financial contribution and support will help to offset some of the heavy financial burdens that he is facing. Right now, we don’t even know what the most helpful path will be to help reduce pain and enable him to begin his long journey from malnutrition. He is receiving celiac plexus blocks, pain medication, and enzyme replacement therapy to start. These are only marginally helping at this time.
Brett is the middle boy of my five sons whose ages range from 22-32. The boys refer to me as “Momma Bear”, with each of them knowing, there is little I wouldn’t do to help them in their life’s journey. Growing up, both family and friends referred to Brett as one of the brightest kids you’ll ever meet. Initially, his goal was to become a doctor. However, not wanting to him to be burdened with high student loans, we thought the best route would be joining the Air Force to offset education expenses and to get on-the-job training in the medical field. After almost a decade of being in the Air Force, Brett’s military career is now coming to an end due to this recent diagnosis. However, even with this tragic diagnosis, Brett found a way to change majors and graduate from college this semester.
When Your Funds Can Make A Difference – Now – His Savings Are Depleted; Medical Bills Are Here and On Going
He needs to heal. He needs to gain weight. He needs time to do both. He needs help to cover his skyrocketing medical bills and help cover his living expenses while he tries to learn to live and balance the treatment for Chronic Pancreatitis.
As we are learning more about this debilitating disorder, we are beginning to understand exactly how stringent the pain management process is. Unfortunately, daily doses of opioids and regular epidural-like injections are part of the current treatment plan and have become the only thing that helps ease the pain enough to have at least a few meals a day. The road ahead is going to be long, bumpy, and full of challenges; however, I hope that with your help and support, we can make things just a little bit simpler for Brett.
Thank you for your prayers and your support.
-The Bastian Family & Momma Bear
One of my five young sons just learned that he is stricken with Chronic Pancreatitis.
I asked my son, “How was the oatmeal?”
He replied, “Does not go down as easy as one would imagine. It’s like eating ‘razor blades.’”
This is the beginning of a very long journey for my son, Brett. He is 26 years old, medic in the military, college student, brother, uncle, friend, volunteer, confidant, dog owner, music lover, avid reader, movie enthusiast, and foodie. After uncovering the reasons for why he has been suffering from massive weight loss and debilitating abdominal pain for the past few years, we’ve found out that the fight has just begun.
I am mom. I am requesting funding for my son to help offset external, financial stressors to help cover known and unknown expenses my son is now dealing with in experimenting with different treatment paths to reduce the intense daily pain from Pancreatitis.
Recommended Treatment – Pain Management to Recover from Malnutrition and Maintain Eating Ability
Once a strong athlete, Brett, 6’ 1’’, now weighs only 123 pounds and experiences chronic pains and malnutrition due to this diagnosis. This is the second time in his life that he has had to face searing and agonizing debilitation in his abdomen. The first time happened when he was 16 and in high school. His appendix had ruptured inside his body and had begun to make him septic. Brett lost 22 pounds in 10 days and was hospitalized for the same duration. Brett made it through. Even with a constant morphine drip, his unwavering strength was evident as he continued to study and take tests for school while in his hospital bed. Brett is a fighter and a survivor. Chronic Pancreatitis is a life-long, excruciatingly painful disorder that has no cure. The only treatment is pain management whether it’s through opioids, regular spinal injections, or even ketamine therapy.
How Your Funds Will Make A Difference – Cover Financial Burdens While In Recovery Mode
Your financial contribution and support will help to offset some of the heavy financial burdens that he is facing. Right now, we don’t even know what the most helpful path will be to help reduce pain and enable him to begin his long journey from malnutrition. He is receiving celiac plexus blocks, pain medication, and enzyme replacement therapy to start. These are only marginally helping at this time.
Brett is the middle boy of my five sons whose ages range from 22-32. The boys refer to me as “Momma Bear”, with each of them knowing, there is little I wouldn’t do to help them in their life’s journey. Growing up, both family and friends referred to Brett as one of the brightest kids you’ll ever meet. Initially, his goal was to become a doctor. However, not wanting to him to be burdened with high student loans, we thought the best route would be joining the Air Force to offset education expenses and to get on-the-job training in the medical field. After almost a decade of being in the Air Force, Brett’s military career is now coming to an end due to this recent diagnosis. However, even with this tragic diagnosis, Brett found a way to change majors and graduate from college this semester.
When Your Funds Can Make A Difference – Now – His Savings Are Depleted; Medical Bills Are Here and On Going
He needs to heal. He needs to gain weight. He needs time to do both. He needs help to cover his skyrocketing medical bills and help cover his living expenses while he tries to learn to live and balance the treatment for Chronic Pancreatitis.
As we are learning more about this debilitating disorder, we are beginning to understand exactly how stringent the pain management process is. Unfortunately, daily doses of opioids and regular epidural-like injections are part of the current treatment plan and have become the only thing that helps ease the pain enough to have at least a few meals a day. The road ahead is going to be long, bumpy, and full of challenges; however, I hope that with your help and support, we can make things just a little bit simpler for Brett.
Thank you for your prayers and your support.
-The Bastian Family & Momma Bear
Organizer
Brett Bastian
Organizer
Carmel, IN