KEN'S STORY OF HOPE
My name is Ken Mansbridge.  I have been a farmer all my life working 7 days a week to build up our farm.  Apart from back troubles when I was in my thirties I have been in good health.  Then in the second half of 2008 I just had the odd day not feeling quite ok with two times shivering and violent sickness.  Soon after I woke to find my feet had turned yellow.  I made an appointment with my GP who sent me to Dorchester A&E where I was admitted thinking I had a bowel problem, given a scan and sent home.  I was then called back a few days later for an endoscopy and to have a stent fitted.Then on the 5 January I was called back to be told I had a growth on my pancreas which could possibly be removed by surgery.  I would be referred to Southampton and  should expect a 3 or 4 week wait.

I got a big surprise when I was called to attend Southampton Hospital on the 8 January to have scans and meet Mr Hilal.  He said I would have to have an MRI scan before he could decide what the appropriate action was.

I had the MRI scan on the 21 January followed by a phone call on the 22nd to say if I could be there by 3 o’clock they had a slot for the next day.

This didn’t give me  much time to worry about it.  I was put to sleep and awoke
mid-afternoon with pipes going in all directions.  When my son came to see me he wanted to see my scar and was most impressed that I was held together by 43 clips.
The first week in hospital was a bit of a struggle.  Then I started to walk the corridors with trolley and drips until on the 7 February all pipes were removed and I was
​allowed home.

This was not a success as I could not keep any food down.  I was admitted back into hospital for three days.  After a scan and an endoscopy I was discharged with Mr Hilal saying “you will be alright”.

The next month I continued to improve but with the odd sickness which I still get now if I overeat.  It took about three months to sort myself out and get back to work and a normal life lifting bags of feed etc.

We were told that the Whipples procedure I had can lead to diabetes.  This caught up with me in 2015 along with prostate cancer.  However, maintaining a strict diet and 7 weeks of radiotherapy I am hopefully cancer free and back to pre-diabetes.
So there is light at the end of the tunnel as I head towards my 80th birthday and almost 10 years since my operation I am looking forward to the years ahead.  Thanks to Mr Hilal and his team.


 
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