I had a distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy in July 2022. I am 66 years old. Everyone reacts differently, but my experience was mostly positive. I was in the hospital for five days. It was robot assisted surgery, and there were five small incisions. Pain was controlled by IV first day, then orally thereafter. JP drain was removed when I was discharged. Eating small portions from low fat diet followed. I was prescribed Regelan to help with digestion, and self administered Lovenox shots to prevent blood clots for 28 days. I was prescribed pain killers, but just taking Tylenol was sufficient for me. It's a scary time leading up to the procedure because you don't know what to expect, but remember that there are people who are working hard to make the experience as successful and painless as possible. I hope this helps a little.