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[msparticularity]

One big OW on everyone's behalf!

On a possibly obnoxious note (given the long-term suffering you are all doing), I'm actually feeling better - although I suspect I'll be more than ready to be finished in 4 hours, when I finally get done teaching for the night.

[infopri]

On a possibly obnoxious note (given the long-term suffering you are all doing), I'm actually feeling better - although I suspect I'll be more than ready to be finished in 4 hours, when I finally get done teaching for the night.

Not obnoxious at all, ms. p!  People who live with pain always rejoice to hear that someone else has found relief.  I hope your evening class goes well!

[gennimom]

Woo hoo! Someone feels better! Good for you, MsP!

[marlborough]

I want to whine.

My family has a long history being indestructible until about age 30, and then we fall apart quickly.  My body considerately waited until I had tenure to malfunction every year for the last three with a new problem.

Year one:  mild, naggy acid reflex long misdiagnosed as allergies, ear infections and COPD flares into disaster (can't bend down without vomiting, losing voice, horrible corrosion).  Used Thanksgiving holiday to have my stomach laproscopically wrapped around my esophagus.  Still taking Nexium.

Year two:  Turns out that long-term reflux caused Barret's esophagus, which can be a precursor to esophageal cancer (which killed my father at 47).  Every four months, I get my esophagus burned with a laser to remove suspicious patches.

Year three (this year):  Oh, fun, early endometrial cancer.  Learned about this the day after returning from foreign trip and two weeks before classes start.  Made quick and ruthless decision, had hysterectomy a week before first class.  Mostly it just feels pinchy and my abdominal muscles are unhappy once I deflated, but every couple of days I just get suddenly so tired I can barely think.  Hoping for no hormonal Godzilla problems.

I have both a little poodle and a fat old chihuahua mix as heating pads.  Six feather pillows, down mattress topper, lots of bad, bad cable TV.   

[gennidad]

I want to whine.

My family has a long history being indestructible until about age 30, and then we fall apart quickly.  My body considerately waited until I had tenure to malfunction every year for the last three with a new problem.

Year one:  mild, naggy acid reflex long misdiagnosed as allergies, ear infections and COPD flares into disaster (can't bend down without vomiting, losing voice, horrible corrosion).  Used Thanksgiving holiday to have my stomach laproscopically wrapped around my esophagus.  Still taking Nexium.

Year two:  Turns out that long-term reflux caused Barret's esophagus, which can be a precursor to esophageal cancer (which killed my father at 47).  Every four months, I get my esophagus burned with a laser to remove suspicious patches.

I can sympathize with you over years one and two.  Was year one's surgery called a Neilson fundaplacation(sp)?  I had one about 8 years ago.  I still take nexium.  I will until the day they come up with something better or I die.  I only have to go see the doc about the year two stuff once a year.  I don't have Barret's yet but it is progressing towards it.  I have been dealing with these stomach issues for over 22 years now.  They can get really, really old after awhile.  *hugs*

[msparticularity]

Year three (this year):  Oh, fun, early endometrial cancer.  Learned about this the day after returning from foreign trip and two weeks before classes start.  Made quick and ruthless decision, had hysterectomy a week before first class.  Mostly it just feels pinchy and my abdominal muscles are unhappy once I deflated, but every couple of days I just get suddenly so tired I can barely think.  Hoping for no hormonal Godzilla problems.

I have both a little poodle and a fat old chihuahua mix as heating pads.  Six feather pillows, down mattress topper, lots of bad, bad cable TV.   

Oh, my. My relationship with my "female organs" has been kind of unfriendly, and I did face this kind of a decision a few years ago, but mine turned out to be a little less urgent. I just got my cervix frozen and had something like dermabrasion on it ;).

I can clearly see, though, that you have all the correct ingredients for a full recovery, except one. Would you like a shot of Scotch or bourbon to go with your cable television selection? I'll share!

[marlborough]

Laparoscopic Nissen Fundoplication, that's the one!  It was actually the best thing I've ever done for myself, and I was super lucky that there was a surgeon trained to do it at the local hospital in my four hours from everywhere location.  I was happy to just not have multiple ear infections and bronchitis every year.  It does, however, freak people out when described (my surgeon seemed to get an enormous kick out of the squishy pink plastic model stomach he explains it with.  Like one of those Stretch Armstrongs, but a stomach).

It looks like we'll be purple pill'in and being endoscopied for the long haul.  Do you add OTC pepcid, too?  I did that to not have to give up tomatoes entirely.

A truly darling colleague sent me over some sponge cake soaked in brandy.  It's alcohol/it's cake/technically, it is a soft/liquid diet, right?

Hope you're feeling non-corrosive!

[gennidad]

Mine was part of a more extensive surgery process that included destroying the top valve of my stomach.  I have what is known as achalasia (sp) where the throat and top valve muscles don't work properly.  The throat muscles all open and close at one time instead of in waves and the valve closes, permanently.  It was the second surgery to fix the problem.  I was the first person in my state to have the surgery performed.  It is the standard way to fix the problem now but I was one of the first 15 or so in the country to have it.  That was a little scary.  The surgeon telling you I have read about this surgery that can fix this problem but.....I am confident that I can do this even though I have never done it before. 

[marlborough]

That takes some guts (properly working or not!).  When I started the whole GERD trip (actually early on it was NERD, if you can believe that), I thought "it's swallowing--why is this so difficult?"  And then I found out how complicated all the parts are.  Sounds like you got the ultra-difficult package.

I was a little disconcerted by how gleeful my surgeon seemed about it (and then we sttrrretch and staple!). 

[gennidad]

My mother still has trouble with me drinking so much water when I eat.  I have to remind her that my esophagus doesn't work.  Then she looks at me funny for a second, blushes and says "Oh."

Oh, I still have the pictures they took from my surgery.  They had to have video of the first time the procedure was performed in the state ya know.  I keep them to show anyone I really want to get rid of.

[gennimom]

And he isn't joking about the pictures. I've seen people turn green when shown the pictures. They are pretty gross.

Marlborough, do you get stomach viruses all the time? At least once a year, we have to take GD to the ER so they can rehydrate him and stop the heaving. It is a side effect of the Nexium.

[marlborough]

Yes, although I hadn't associated that with Nexium, just a generally negligent immune system.  I also get nauseated really easily and I have little packages of saltines on me at all times. 

A neat trick is that if you really have to NOT barf, holding your facial muscles in a huge artificial smile will stop it temporarily (long enough to get away from carpet).

I eat excruciatingly slowly and also drink a huge amount of water.

[gennidad]

We found out about it from my DO.  It has to do with the reduced acid production. 

I also found that adding mylanta or another liquid antacid helped me more than adding another pill.  The liquid seems to help coat the throat for quick relief.

[marlborough]

That's an excellent tip. 

I had the big lecture about not eating undercooked meat, or unpasteurized cheese, or any of the things with "bugs" that will not not be destroyed by weakened stomach acid. 

[msparticularity]

Okay, you two definitely win the gross-out contest here - and how come y'all never come hang out on the chronic illnesses thread; you so would fit right in there, too!

I can't evin begin to play in your league, although I can share that the Poodle has constant stomach issues because of his Chronic Renal Failure, so he has to take cimetidine every day and therefore has reduced stomach acid like you two. He lives mostly on a diet of poached organic chicken breast and steamed (organic) sweet potatoes.