The procedure yesterday went well. As a trial, I skipped my 2 p.m. dosage of pain medication and experienced little pain. The doctor said that if the treatment worked, I should have some short-term pain relief—the equivalent of deadening the nerves before having a tooth worked on.
So, I think it worked, which will open the possibility of step two of the treatment—killing the nerves. I will see the doctor in a couple of weeks to talk about going back in and killing the nerves.
On a more technical note, I have been calling the procedure of deadening and then killing the nerves “deadening/killing the pancreatic nerves.” Medical folk would correct me on that! What they did yesterday is called a celiac plexus nerve block. The killing of the nerves is called a celiac plexus neurolysis. The celiac plexus is the bundle of nerves adjacent to the aorta and the other blood vessels that supplies the pancreas. That’s more than you asked for, but I guess I need to start using the correct terminology! - Jack
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Reminded of times with the Snells in Singapore, Harriet Harral sent me some lovely photos of that time, including a visit to the Singapore botanical gardens. (Below right). And also, here's a shot she sent of Jack during reconstruction at Thompson Road church where he served as interim pastor:
