A “BELOVED” dad died just weeks after complaining of a stomach ache.
Dylan Thomas Wakefield, 29, knew something wasn’t right when he woke up with a “relentless searing pain” in his upper left side.
Dylan Thomas Wakefield in a coma next to his brother Nathan and mum Penelope[/caption]
After his symptoms worsened, the dad-of-three drove himself to hospital, where he was admitted with suspected gastritis – when the lining of the stomach becomes inflamed.
But three days later, the pub landlord’s blood pressure dropped “dangerously low” and he was diagnosed with severe acute pancreatitis and put into a coma.
Acute pancreatitis occurs when the pancreas – a small organ located behind the stomach that helps with digestion – becomes swollen over a short period of time.
Most patients recover within a week, but it can trigger life-threatening complications.
Dylan woke up two days later and posted a heartbreaking message on social media.
He revealed to friends that this was “the darkest chapter” of his life, but that he was “not giving up”.
Sadly, three weeks later he was put back into a coma and died on May 28.
His brother Nathan Lamb, 31, said: “The whole ordeal has been a massive shock – we didn’t think he would die from this.
“He was so young – it is so unfair.
“He was such a lovely brother to all of his nine siblings – all he wanted was for people to be happy and enjoying themselves at all times.
“He loved his family. We are all devastated that this has happened.”
Dylan was staying with his sister Caitlin Lamb, 27, when he woke up with stomach ache on April 24.
As he was “barely holding himself together”, he decided to drive himself to King’s Mill Hospital in Nottingham.
Nathan says his brother was initially treated for gastritis until he was diagnosed with acute severe necrotising pancreatitis.
His pancreas had reportedly lost blood supply and some of the tissue had started to rot and die.
When this happens, the pancreas can become infected, which can spread into the blood (sepsis) and cause organ failure.
To “allow his body to rest”, Dylan was placed into an induced coma.
“They attached him to several machines and told us they would be taking over to let Dylan’s body focus on getting stronger,” Nathan said.
Dylan liked a drink but he was only 29 – you would think issues like this only start later in life. It is so unfair
Nathan Lamb
To the family’s delight, Dylan woke up two days later on April 29.
He was still “very poorly”, but his condition slowly started to stabilise.
During this time, Dylan wrote to family and friends on Facebook.
The message on May 9 read: “What started as feeling unwell quickly became unbearable – a searing, relentless pain in my stomach that I knew wasn’t normal.
“Paramedics told me I was OK, but something inside me said otherwise.
“I drove myself to the hospital, barely holding it together.
“Hours later, I was diagnosed with pancreatitis.
“My body began to shut down. The pain intensified. Things went from bad to life-threatening.
Dylan knew something wasn’t right when he woke up with a ‘relentless searing pain’[/caption]
The dad, pictured with his mum Penelope, was first treated for gastritis[/caption]
Dylan on FaceTime with his mum after waking from a coma[/caption]
“I was put into a coma, and for days, my family watched helplessly, not knowing if I would ever wake up again. They prayed. I fought.
“On April 29, I opened my eyes – but the fight is far from over.
“I’m still in the hospital. I’m still in pain. I can’t walk. I can’t eat. I’m facing a lifelong condition that has torn through my life in a matter of days.
“This has been the darkest chapter I’ve ever known – terrifying, humbling, and utterly heartbreaking.
“Thank you to everyone who’s sent love, prayers, or even a thought my way. I’m still here and I’m not giving up.”
Warning signs of acute pancreatitis
ACUTE pancreatitis is a condition where the pancreas becomes inflamed (swollen) over a short period of time.
The most common symptoms include:
- A sudden, severe pain in the centre of your tummy
- Feeling or being sick
- A high temperature of 38C or more
Acute pancreatitis is often linked to gallstones or drinking too much alcohol, but sometimes the cause is not known.
By reducing how much booze you consume and altering your diet to make gallstones less likely (for example, by eating a balanced diet with at least five portions of fruit and vegetables a day and including plenty of whole grains like oats and brown rice), you can reduce your chances of developing acute pancreatitis.
Most patients get better within a week, but it can lead to severe complications in some cases.
This includes sacs of fluid called pseudocysts, which can cause bloating and indigestion, and necrosis, where the pancreas loses blood supply and some of the tissue starts to die.
When this happens, the pancreas can become infected, which can spread into the blood (sepsis) and cause organ failure.
Source: NHS
He received more than 70 messages in response.
But three weeks later, Dylan’s health began to decline and he was placed into a second coma on May 25.
He died three days later – just over a month after being admitted.
He is survived by his three children, Lily, 12, Layton, nine, and six-year-old Kingston.
Nathan says the cause of his “beloved” brother’s pancreatitis hasn’t been confirmed, but he believes it was due to his alcohol intake.
Booze is one of the most common causes of the condition, as well as gallstones, according to the NHS.
‘We miss him deeply’
“Dylan liked a drink but he was only 29 – you would think issues like this only start later in life,” Nathan said.
“He had his whole future ahead of him – it is so unfair.”
Nathan added that doctors told him there was “no known treatment” for Dylan’s condition, and they could only manage the side effects, as well as his pain.
Following the shock loss, a fundraising page has been set up to help pay for his funeral.
Nathan said: “His mum Penelope and his grandma Carol miss him deeply.
“He has eight siblings and they all miss him. We are a very close family and they all meant the world to him.
“We had a typical brother relationship, but he was a very forgiving person and very loyal as well.
“He wanted everyone around him to be happy.
“He was energetic – he loved singing and karaoke, and he was the life and soul of the room.”
Dylan passed away on May 28, just weeks after being admitted to hospital[/caption]
The dad is survived by his three children, Lily, 12, Layton, nine, and six-year-old Kingston[/caption]
Dylan with his heartbroken mum in hospital[/caption]
‘He had his whole future ahead of him – it is so unfair,’ Nathan said[/caption]
The 6 stomach pains you should NEVER ignore
TUMMY pain is usually nothing to worry about and for most people, it goes away on its own.
But stomach aches can, occasionally, be a symptom of something serious, such as bowel cancer.
If it comes with other symptoms, or keeps coming back, you may want to keep track of the issue and see a doctor.
Here, experts reveal the different types of stomach ache and the ones you shouldn’t ignore.
- Pain accompanied by blood in your poo – bowel cancer, stomach ulcer, gastroenteritis, ulcerative colitis
- Sharp pain – appendicitis, stomach ulcer, kidney stones, appendicitis, perforated ulcer, ectopic pregnancy, obstruction of the bowel
- Pain accompanied by feeling sick – tummy bug, gallbladder problems, irritable bowel syndrome, wind, indigestion, constipation, diarrhoea
- Pain accompanied by unexplained weight loss – cancer, pancreatitis, Crohn’s disease
- Pain accompanied by a fever – inflammation, appendicitis, food poisoning, gallbladder infection, diverticulitis, pelvic infection, abscess
- Long-term belly pain – indigestion, gluten intolerance or allergy, coeliac disease, overeating, stress, too much caffeine, eating too late in the evening
