My mom recently had to undergo the Whipple procedure, a complex and lengthy surgery that involves removing part of the stomach, pancreas, and duodenum, then redirecting everything and sewing it back together. The hospital recovery alone is expected to take one to two weeks, followed by several weeks or even months of recovery at home. This was all very sudden and unexpected—what was supposed to be a one-hour consultation turned into immediate surgery to remove a mass. We are now waiting on biopsy results to determine if it is cancer. The doctor has gone back and forth about whether it is cancer, but the latest update is that he doesn’t think so, though there is definitely something unusual going on.

My mom is currently in the ICU, working on getting more stable with her oxygen, blood pressure, and blood sugar, while we wait for her stomach to start working again. She has been able to walk a little, though she gets lightheaded. She has finally been able to have some broth and jello as of today, which we hope will help her recovery along with walking and breathing exercises to strengthen her core and stomach muscles.

My mom is self-employed, which means she will lose her only source of income for some time. I am the main financial support for us, but I am having to miss at least a week of work with only two days of PTO and no ability to work from home, which will make things very difficult for us. She will require therapy after being released, and we’re not sure yet if this will be in a rehab facility or at home. I would love to be able to take care of one month of her bills so that she will not be stressed over that. We appreciate anything at all that anyone can help with. Your support will make a huge difference in helping us get through this difficult period and allow my mom to focus on her recovery without the added stress of financial worries.