Update & Shelly Love

[quidditchgrrl]

Just wanted to check in and let you all know what's happening. Thanks to all of you who wished me luck and have listened to my wibbling for the past few months.



Endoscopy this morning went v. well. I got up this morning at ten of four because of nerves, so by the time they wheeled me into the room, they barely needed the demerol/versed to knock me out. I don't even remember them numbing my throat with the spray or much of anything until about 4:30 today. Ace. :)

That being said, they did find out what they think has been causing the pain and problems. There is an obstruction near the duodenum - where food exits the stomach and moves into the small intestine, and near where the biliary duct opens into the intestine - which is blocking food from exiting as quickly as it should. They also showed me the pics of my chewed-up esophagus. Yum. My throat is a little bit hurty, but I just ate some muskmelon and it went down all right. Good stuff.

The obstruction is outside of the GI tract, meaning I have to go in for a CAT scan tomorrow evening. It could be a piece of tissue/fat, or a tumor. A benign tumor - no chance of it being cancerous, thank goodness. Either way, it's treatable.

So, I'm not crazy. Because after more than a year of near-constant pain without aggressive treatment, I wondered if my doctor thought I was a hypochondriac. I had a gall bladder scan last August which came back normal, blood/kidney tests all normal. He didn't seem too worried about it, didn't order an endoscopy or gall bladder-radiation test, just kept changing my meds when I said they didn't work. It took a second doctor (who seemed poised to take the same action - nothing) and my abject begging for steps to be taken to get an order for endoscopy.

But it's over now, and this should be the end of it. I'll feel better physically, start regaining steam mentally, and be back on my feet in no time. Wow, that sounds good, almost too good to be true. Hope springs eternal. :)



Randomness:

Nails are a pretty shade of purple, as part of my early-morning boredom kill.

muffinbutt and malachan are just too sickeningly cute. :-P

Has anyone else read Passing for Thin by Frances Kuffel? I started it this morning, and I don't know what to make of it. Just wanted your thoughts.

LJ friend for the day, just randomly: shellyk

This woman has been putting up with the boss from hell in her quest to become a lawyer. She's a much better person that I, because I'd no doubt have punched Umbitch out long ago. She's also a great writer - her Cleverness Has Nothing to Do With Love was one of the first fanfics I followed religiously on ffnet, and one of the first fandom folks I knew. I have a great amount of respect for her, she's wise beyond her years.

Thanks to those of you who introduced yourselves in my recent post. I'll respond to them soon, and anyone else? Please, please give me a couple of lines about yourself. It's great to read about other people, their fandom histories, and their lives.

Comments

[fearthainn.livejournal.com]

Glad to hear your endoscopy went ok, and that things are progressing finally...it's frustrating when you have to fight to get doctors to do their jobs.

*hugs*

[eibbil-libbie.livejournal.com]

Yay! I'm so very glad that they found what was causing the pain, have a way to treat it and that it should be nothing but a yucky memory soon. I'm glad you finally found a doc willing to actually work with you, and not try to keep prescribing his day away.

*hugs you*

[shellyk.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much, baby. It's friends like you that get me through the crap.

I love ya, babe!

*smooch*

[thetreacletart.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear everything went well and that your problem is treatable.

Oh, and I love purple nails. Did you do your toes too? :o)

Take care.

Lydia

[quidditchgrrl.livejournal.com]

Ah, only the fingernails. They've grown out a little, so I slapped on some polish. I did have a pedicure last week, though, so the toesies are nice and shiny (I have the nails buffed)!

[abigail89.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad the procedure went well and things are good! That's great news.

Oh, hummm, have I ever introduced myself? Maybe not. Friended you a long time ago 'cause I liked your stories (the Hermione/Percy one for sure and the trios). I'm an archivist, so we do sort of the same work. You turned down my application for the Gryffindor Boudoir, which I found highly amusing, but decided not to contest. I'm from Ohio, still visit a lot since my grandma lives in Elida. And, I've beta-read for you (anytime, any story--just come find me.) That's about it.

*waves bye*

[quidditchgrrl.livejournal.com]

Dude, Elida! Have been there, there's a dress shop in town that I've been to for fittings and such. There should be a sign that says, "Now Entering Elida, Just This Side of BFE" :D

The only reason I'd have turned you down for the Boudoir was if your age was not stated in your public profile. Nothing personal, I swear! :) Yahell has developed a bad habit of shutting down groups with adult content if there are underaged members on the list.

[abigail89.livejournal.com]

Dang! I can't believe you've BEEN to Elida, let alone know where it is. My grandma has lived there almost all of her 88 years. Which dress shop? Are you old enough to remember that funky music store that was across from the fire station?

Yeah I know I don't have my age on my Yahoo profile. No bigee.

[tonksnymphadora.livejournal.com]

I love painting my nails in unusual colors.

Right now my toenails are painted pale blue to match my care bear sandals.

I am such a nerd.

[lissannej.livejournal.com]

I am so pleased they found out what caused it, so they can fix it! *hugs*

[authenticjoy.livejournal.com]

The obstruction is outside of the GI tract, meaning I have to go in for a CAT scan tomorrow evening. It could be a piece of tissue/fat, or a tumor. A benign tumor - no chance of it being cancerous, thank goodness. Either way, it's treatable.

Did they also mention how utterly common they are?

Long, long story attached to this (that has me nearly coming to blows with an emergency room doctor who spoke very little English and decided to figuratively pat me on the head like a "good little girl"), but nearly all of us get these tumors in our GI tract from time to time as we age. My mom had them, as I'm sure I do. Some of us get tumors that stick around longer. Some of us get them at a younger age. Like everything else, age, lifestyle, heredity, blahblahblah.

I'm surprised they didn't look at this before. *quirk* It's an awful process to go through to look for them, I guess. Particularly when one is young. Not that it gets any easier when you are older. :oP

Purple nails? You hussy. Heh. Appropriate that you are listening to Dear God. That is one of the ultimate questions, eh?

I just started reading Infinite Jest by David Foster Wallace. Xop *now she dead from too many words*

I love my slow-cooker. In goes Raw Dinner and out comes Cooked Dinner six hours later. Life is good. :o)

[blue-eye.livejournal.com]

Glad you are getting to the bottom of this....I remember having my lap several years back when everyone thought my menstrual pain had been in my head for years and years (except my husband...he believed me). I was in agony, even when I wasn't menstruating and I was bedridden for every period. So...it is a relief when you knwo what's up and you can fix it.

[quidditchgrrl.livejournal.com]

Yes, I was so afraid nothing would show on the EGD and I would be relegated to the crazy/hypochondriac bin.

Now I'm going to have to fight the "it's because of your diabetes" schtick they're feeding me. Damn simplistic medical folks, grr.

[blue-eye.livejournal.com]

aaaaaargh!