Serious confessional
 

Been debating whether or not to share this, as I'm a pretty private kind of guy, but everyone here's pretty cool.

I'll hopefully be going in for some semi-major surgery on April 14. Last summer, after much medical testing, I was diagnosed with a rare (I've read anywhere from 8 per million in the US to 3000 new cases diagnosed annually), non-fatal, incurable, and completely horrid disease called achalasia. What this means is that the nerves in my esophagus have all died and the valve at the bottom will not relax to allow the passage of food. Eating is virtually impossible and drinking is next to impossible. I've stopped eating almost all together (I've tried to eat twice since a few days before Easter), and i only fight through the pain of drinking because I have to. It is progressive and has gotten significantly worse in the last three months. I've dropped 25 lbs since Christmas, 10 of those in the last month.

All therapies tried thus far have been unsuccessful, leaving surgery as the last option. The surgery doesn't fix the nerves, but basically cuts away the muscles from the valve to allow the passage of food more easily. However, I had an appointment with my surgeon who said I've dropped too much weight too quickly to endure surgery and he won't operate unless I get a feeding tube. So Monday, I got what's called a PICC line (kind of like an IV but in the far upper right inner arm - a Periferally Inserted Central Catheter) and am hooked up to a nutritional supplement 24 hours a day and will be until surgery. I have to at least maintain weight and preferably gain a couple of pounds or he won't operate.

So....not trying to complain, but any here who offer prayers to a higher power, I'd appreciate it. I really, really, really have to have the surgery, as the symptoms have been going on for two years and it has gotten really, really, really old.

Hey scaeagles, that sounds rough. I'm sorry that you have to go through such discomfort. I'm glad to hear that there's a solution. My thoughts are with you.
I, for one, also promise to try to keep your spirits up by keeping you entertained on the board.
Feel better, man.

Pull the tube! Pull the tube!! ;) Just trying to keep you in a good mood. No medical procedure is fun, especially such a serious one. Good to know you're getting something done about it, and it seems you're in good hands with a doctor who's actually paying attention to you instead of just getting you under the knife to collect the insurance payment.

Good luck, our thoughts are with you.

Yeah - my wife started calling me "Schiavo". Funny.

Well, Schiavo, at least you've got hope!

You keep up the laughter and I'll keep up the hope and prayers for a successful surgery and a quick recovery - and NEVER lose your sense of humor.

I'll be thinking about you. Surgery can be fun if there are drugs involved afterwards. I loved my druggie recovery.

I hope that you'll be back to eating food and drinking comfortably in the very near future. In the meantime, fatten up my friend.

Oh Leo, I hope you gain the weight you need this week so you can have surgery soon. I can't even imagine what you're dealing with right now. PICC lines are no fun, but hopefully you'll get the nourishment you need to get surgery that will help. We'll be thinking of you. Please keep us posted.....you've gone and done it. I'm speechless.

Oh yikes, that sounds horrendeous. Hugs and prayers to you, Scaeagles.

Good thoughts coming your way ~ hope you're back to full health soon.

I'm with Claire, PICC lines are no fun...
Hopefully it will fatten you right up and they'll whisk you away and deal with this hitch in your plans.

My thoughts and prayers will be with you.