New Life After a Whipple Operation
Rafael Rosa shares his story
My name is Rafael Rosa, and I'm 78 years old. I did not think I would be here today, but I am. This is my story.
Mystery Diagnosis
It all began with a feeling in my stomach. I thought maybe it was a virus, so I took over the counter antacids, but this weird feeling just wasn't going away and as anything in life I figured it was old age… but then I started losing my appetite.
Over the next several months, I had every type of exam done and repeated, but everything kept coming out negative. I started having diarrhea – everything I ate and drank just would not stay – and my daughter said, "Dad, this is not normal, something is wrong. We have to go to the ER."
At the first hospital I went to (not a Mount Sinai hospital), they did not find anything wrong with me. I went back again and again and again, and, each time, they could not find anything wrong with me. But I knew something was wrong; I felt like I was slowly dying.
Once again, my daughter said, "I cannot accept this; something is wrong with you Daddy. We are going to another hospital." And I was admitted at a second hospital (again, not a Mount Sinai hospital). Nine days later, the chronic diarrhea had not stopped, and, after test after test, the doctors could not find anything wrong with me. The doctor at that hospital told my daughter that he would release me only if she promised to take me to The Mount Sinai Hospital.
She promised, but, when I got home that day, I said no, I was dying and I didn't want any more tests or needles.
Another Chance at Mount Sinai
I was tired, but, after three days at home without eating and chronic diarrhea, I finally let them take me to Mount Sinai, where I was admitted. My family celebrated my 75th birthday at the hospital, and I'm sure they too thought it was my last. I, of course, wanted to give up – refuse all treatments and go home and die – but I have a very stubborn daughter and she said, "Daddy, wouldn’t you rather die knowing what you have? What if one of your children gets it or one of your grandchildren or great grandchildren, then we will at least know? I'm here with you; let’s fight together!" And as everyone knows, a dad cannot say no to his little girl.
A New Beginning
About a week later, Celina Ang, MD, and Umut Sarpel, MD, came into my room and said they found a tumor in my small intestine. Finally, we now knew what we were up against.
The tumor was removed with a Whipple operation, and, afterwards I had 12 sessions of chemotherapy – and that was not easy, but no more chronic diarrhea and my appetite was slowly coming back.
Thank you, Dr. Sarpel, you are a wonderful surgeon, and thank you, Dr. Ang, you are a wonderful doctor – and thank you to all the staff of The Mount Sinai Hospital. If it were not for everyone with all their concerns and hard work and friendly faces, I would not be here today.
As I stated, I'm now 78 years old. I travel, I pick up my great-grandkids from school, I drive to the grocery store and pharmacy, and I go out with my children to eat or to the movies. I am alive! I fought, and I'm here.