More damn medical crap
 

My continuing saga.....

For a good two months after my surgery on April 14 (thanks for all the well wishes, btw), life was great - eating, drinking, gaining weight faster than i should and enjoying food like I hadn't in a long time. After that, the symptoms have started coming back around 4 weeks go.

So after a couple doctor appts, I have a medical test today as a precursor to an exploratory procedure next Thursday. I get a call a couple hours after I'm home from the doc performing the procedure next week, and he's moving it to tomorrow morning, because the radiologist was "very concerned" over what he saw on the tests.

What the hell does "very concerned" mean??????????

All I was told is that my procedure tomorrow will now include a biopsy. Crap.
Damn. $)*&^(^%.

OMG Leo!

I think, more than anything, I hate the uncertainty of this stuff. I felt like such a guinea pig from start to finish of my cancer and Graves. I still feel like a bit of a guinea pig.

Well, biopsys are precautionary. They want to make sure that nothing is going on. And, without your history of issues, they will be more careful. We'll hope for the best and at least some ease and confort during the proceedure.

((((((((HUGS))))))))

Lisa

Oh dear. Sending the best of thoughts your direction.

Leo, I'm so sorry to hear this news. We will keep you in our thoughts and hope for the best.

Wow that sucks - but like Lisa said, this stuff is all precautionary so keep that in mind if you can. We'll be sending our good thoughts and healing mojo your way.

€

/sigh

Hope things go well! ::hugs::

We're sending our thoughts your way. There are so many reasons why doctors can be overly cautious. Keep your spirits up.

Best of luck, keep your spirits up! We're thinking of you.

Better to have a "very concerned radiologist" than one who doesnt think outside the box, and doesnt catch what could be problem till to late.
This way, if something is wrong, maybe they can head it off.
Hugs to you and your family.
My thoughts are with you.

Crap Leo..that stinks!

Sending prayers your way that everything is fine and you'll be good as new in no time!!!

Did you hide Karl Rove's soul in your gullet? Because that would explain a whole lot. I imagine they'd need the full bio-hazard gear for that extraction!

In all seriousness, I hope all goes well tomorrow and that any new problems come with easy solutions.

You're just mad because I started a thread in which NA pointed out that you pee in the shower.

Crap Leo. I am sorry to hear about this. Things will go well tomorrow and you'll be back to your gluttonous self in no time.

Ah, you're just jealous because my skeletons dance free, rather than being shut up in some nasty closet. :p

Do you know how soon you're supposed to hear what they think is going on? I wish this was smoother sailing for you.

Are you accusing me of being closeted?

I am. :)

Yeah, but I got your toaster.

Can I interest you in a bread maker?

I'll make you some...bread......um.....what's the sexual metaphor here again?

Exactly!

Keep strong, Leo. You've never been one to shrink away from a good fight, and I suspect that hasn't changed in the last couple of days.

PS: I've told you and told you and told you - REAL ESTATE!

Wishing you wellness.

I hope it's just some bit of surgical cotton or such that got left in the original surgery, Leo. (Or post surgical inflammation). It seems scary when they mention biopsy, but I imagine they are just being cautious. I'll be thinking of you and hoping for the best- let us know when you do, okay?

I'm actually hoping they left in a clamp or something - cha-ching, baby!

Ooooh, oooh, is it too late to send you my business card? Ya know, like, well, in case they do find a left-in clamp or sponge or something?


Seriously though, Leo. Doctors routinely over-react and spread the news as bad as they can. I think it's got something to do with malpractice and with having their patients fall all over them in relief when the problem almost inevitably turns out less worse than the docs made it out to be.


Best of luck. We're all rootin' for ya.

Gosh I hate the feeling of coming out of sedation.....I hope I don't write anything stupid. (No comments on how I must spend a lot of time coming out of sedation, ok???)

Doc is pretty confident that it is just scar tissue growing and had that biopsied. However, the muscles of/around the esophagus are still in a virtually constant state of spasming, reducing the diameter to only a couple of milimeters, so it is possible that I will need to have another surgery to further weaken them (similar to the first one). It's either that or have to get stretched every couple months, so we have to wait to see how long the positive effects of this stretching last.

Thanks for well wishes and good vibes and bread maker and Karl Rove jokes.

Glad to hear that everything went well!

And here's to long-lasting effects from this stretching! :cheers:

Teehee. Toaster heaven.



Btw, glad to hear that it appears to be only scar tissue and not something more serious, Leo. Hang in there.

Oh, like we're not used to it. ;)

(hey, at least I didn't make any jokes about regular stretching sessions)

I'm happy to hear that it isn't more serious and I really hope that this recent procedure does the trick. Here's to a speedy recovery.

I have absolutely no recollection of posting what I did on Friday late afternoon. I have no recollection of anything on Friday. One of the drugs given is something to induce amnesia so you don't remember the procedure. I guess they gave me a little too much of that.

Pretty accurate post, though, except they doc didn't need to biopsy - pretty obviously scar tissue. Sad thing is that I don't feel any different, so I am anticipating more surgery, as eating through a 2 millimeter esophagus is....unpleasant.

And just for Sac, I no longer have a sphincter to be stretched. That was cut out at my first surgery. Just the esophagus remains. Sorry to spoil your junior high fun.

Oh my my my~!

I'm so glad to hear that it's nothing *too* bad, but I wish things had been a little less complicated for you. As for the memory loss, that's one of the things I hate most (and why I really don't like getting truly ****faced, or put into sedation)... I hate feeling like there are chunks of time just gone...

But don't be surprised when our pal Lumbo comes knocking at your door dressed in a nurses uniform to help you stretch your esophagus.

Amnesia drugs......hmmmmm. If they could only perfect it to block out certain specific situations, I'd be loving it. Well, it would have to be retroactive. OK, So, that's never going to happen and Q is dead. :(

I wish I had read that Friday so I'd forget all about it. (shudder)

My wife was going to kill me Friday - she said I would ask her the same questions about every 15 minutes. So some good came out of it - I got to drive my wife nuts without really trying or invoking any consequences upon myself.

did someone ring the call button :confused:

Fear not, as Nurse Lickey will demonstrate for you how regular therapy has helped SacTown with swallowing.



(sure hope your feeling better real soon, Leo!)

hmmm, i thought for sure ssaocmteoonwen would be here bragging about having no gag reflex by now

Why brag? The right people already know.