Carole
My husband had a Whipple on 3/7/01. There is no doubt that this is very, very major surgery. However, he is 7 weeks post op and is feeling great. He had some complication, bleeding during surgery, pneumonia, pulmonary edema and a post-op infection but all were managed by his treatment team. He lost 30 lbs but has already gained 4 back while on his first week of chemo. If you asked him, he would say the surgery was worth it. He is 62 years old and was never sick before this. Only you, your mom and doctor can determine if she is strong enough to go through the surgery - it's a big one!