Helping the Audley’s through this difficult time

My sister and brother-in-law need your help.

My brother-in-law, William Audley, started this medical journey in 2022. He had been having bouts of severe abdominal pain. He was turned away by a big hospital because they thought his pain was exaggerated, and so he was dismissed like he was a drug seeker without ever doing a CT. We live in a world where CTs are ordered almost like the ED screening tool because it offers so much information, but yet it wasn’t ordered on him. He eventually went to another hospital days later when he thought he was dying due to the pain being so severe that they realized his pancreas was 10x the size it should be. It turns out, he was born without his main pancreatic duct. His pancreas was so large by this point that a stent closed when they put it in the only small duct that he had. This pancreatitis was so severe that Mayo turned him down; they said they couldn’t help him. Luckily, my sister, Mendi, found a hospital in Minnesota that was a research hospital where there was a combat surgeon who felt he could help William. This surgeon completely removed his pancreas (COMPLETE REMOVAL, not just a Whipple procedure). His spleen was removed as well along with some bowel. This is something not really been done. I’ve been in medicine for almost 20 years and have never heard of a pancreas being completely removed before this. He understood the risks and knew this was only a research study and there were no guarantees. William was in so much pain that it was this or honestly, death. This amazing doctor extracted his islet cells from his pancreas and luckily since it’s a research study, he was chosen to have an omentum pouch where some of those islet cells were stored. The others were put in his liver, which made him considered a transplant patient. The doctor told him it would be a full year of recovery, with many trials and trips to Minnesota. He has had multiple surgeries as necrosis set in on parts of his bowel and now severe scar tissue adhesions that are causing severe problems. Each time he goes to Minnesota he has to rent a hotel because of the risk of being too far once he’s released.

He’s been positive and tried working once he thought he could, but it’s nearly impossible because he’s so immunocompromised and either sick or in pain (which he fights through). So since 2022, they’ve been practically on one income. Complications with Type 1 diabetes are scary and something they’ve had to adjust to because he immediately became a type 1 diabetic.

Mendi is so skilled at nursing and has so many extra certifications, it has made her ready for such a time as this. Sometimes, we wonder what all the preparation is for that we do in life. But it’s so clear now, all the preparation in her nursing career has made her a warrior in this fight for her husband. She notices everything and helps point out when he is in trouble. Even in the Minnesota hospital, she picks up on things they might not have based on all her experience with trauma and constant monitoring of him. His surgeon values Mendi and has thanked her for her diligence and trusts her expertise.

He had to go to Minnesota for emergency surgery on 9-5-2025. Mendi couldn’t be there hardly at all, which is hard on all of them. Luckily, his dad was able to be there, but it’s hard on everyone when you can’t be with your loved ones when you need to be or want to be.

After surgery, he was released from the hospital but he had to stay in a hotel for two weeks in case he had complications. There is no Ronald McDonald House to help either since he’s an adult.

While in the hotel, William ended up having severe abdominal pain (worse than his pancreatitis pain), which led them to call 911 at the hotel in Minnesota. William spiked a 102 fever and WBC 17. Started IV antibiotics and IVF. CT abdomen showed fluid and gas which isn’t too alarming but his stomach is moderately enlarged which is worrisome. His stomach is the size of his entire abdominal cavity. They placed an NG tube. Started him on a Dilaudid PCA for pain control. Waiting for a game plan. He then was overdosed and Narcan had to be administered, which put him in critical care for a couple of days.

They have 4 kids who are all active in different sports and at young ages. Mendi has been doing her best, sacrificing normal work schedules, working every weekend, getting little sleep, so she can be present during the week for her kids. She is under so much stress and pressure, I just can’t imagine but you’d never know. She has a smile on her face and never expresses her fear outwardly. She knows who’s watching (the kids) and how that affects them. She’s tried keeping their schedule normal only to protect them. Her children have PTSD from all this and every time he leaves for Minnesota, they fear he will die.

They need help! William can’t work for another 8 weeks at least. They don’t receive assistance or disability, just what Mendi makes as a nurse. They have 4 kids, a mortgage, utilities, and thousands of dollars in medical bills.

Please, if you can, donate, help this sweet family. They are doing everything they can to stay afloat and stay positive. Please, say extra prayers for William, my sister, and their kids today and the weeks to come for a full recovery and healing. William navigates being without vital organs as he helps improve medicine by going through life without a pancreas and spleen, showing doctors the limitations and roadblocks one might have but that one can survive. This gives me hope for the future of medicine. He has an excellent surgeon who hopefully will be recognized in the medical community for his brilliance, all his research, and his confidence along with willingness and thoroughness to help William. He has redefined how many thought about certain organs and I’m thankful William has had this opportunity to be in this research study with him and live!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading this, and helping by either monetary donations or a prayer! They need it and will one day pay it forward!

Thank you,

Kristi Roush