melz I must admit I do not know much about papillary tumor I done some reading on it yes it is very rare and whipple is an option for you I was diagnosed quite quickly as I went Yellow and was very sick my tumor was in the head and the bile duct blocked hence the yellowing of me, when I awoke from the whipple I had tubes coming out of my tummy some are there for weeks to drain after surgery the pain is controlled by the medications and you will be in and out of a haze so don't worry to much about the pain they will have a pain management team looking after you ,don't be afraid to press the button, the sooner you are up and moving the better it will be bearable you are younger and will probably recover quicker it is major surgery but you will surprise yourself how you adjust.One tip I can give is when you eventually start eating ask for a stool softener as you will get constipated and don't strain yourself I know from my own experience, as to how long you will be in hospital depends on your recovery,don't worry about asking questions if I can answer them I will, I realize this all can be frightening so keep your spirits up it is a lot to take in at this stage of your life kj ... View more