The doctor called...

In reference to my previous two posts, I had a CT scan last week to find out what caused my recent abdominal problems, and my doctor called with the results. 

He said the scan looked pretty good and nothing serious appeared.  There is some thickening around where the esophagus and stomach meet which could be scar tissue from a prior surgery as he suspected.  However, now I need to undergo an endoscopy so he can see inside the stomach, specifically to ensure I don't have an ulcer or hernia. 

For an endoscopy, they insert a thick tube about the size of your index finger into the mouth, down the esophagus, and into the stomach.  The tube has a camera that's attached to a monitor so the doctor can see in real time what the camera reflects back.  They can take photographs and even remove polyps (if such exist) with this tube.  The nice thing is that there's no waiting for the test results, the doctor can tell you right then and there what he found.  However, chances are you won't remember a word he said so you have to contact him in the future for the results.

I've had this test many times before and although it's not pleasant at all, it's pretty painless.  The only side effect is that you may have a very sore throat for a day or two afterwards.  Prior to the test, you're required to fast from the night before (no water or food), they have you lie on your left side, they sedate you to relax you, and they insert a plastic teeth guard in your mouth that has a hole in the middle where the tube will be inserted.  This guard protects the tube from biting teeth and helps them guide the tube into the esophagus.  The whole test takes about 10 - 15 minutes but there's time needed for the prep and afterwards recovery from the sedation.  All in all, it takes about 2 hours from the time you walk into the room where the test will be performed and when you walk out of the hospital.

In my case, they have to knock me out completely so my recovery is a little longer.  It seems that I’m a very determined person, even under sedation, because I'll literally start pulling the tube out of my mouth myself if the nurses neglect to hold my arms down.  And if they do hold me down, I end up fighting with them.  I just will not tolerate any tubes down my throat.  In fact, when I was intubated after my emergency stomach surgery in 2008, I was drugged up with powerful painkillers and yet I managed to pull the tube out in my sleep.  I woke up choking with the tube in my hand while nurses were running into my room to see what was happening.  Thankfully, my gastroenterologist knows me well enough by now and so he always orders that I'm sedated to oblivion prior to the endoscopy. 

This works perfectly fine with me.  As I always tell my doctors, "You can do whatever you want to me as long as you knock me out completely."  The first time I had an endoscopy years ago, I was half awake and the test was the worst thing I had ever experienced up to that point.  I've had worst tests since so now an endoscopy which used to send me into a panic beforehand is now a piece of cake in comparison.  They told me back then that I wouldn't remember anything because the sedation causes amnesia.  They were wrong because to this day I still remember every single miserable second of my first endoscopy.  After that, we all agreed I would have to be sent into oblivion.  

The only problem is that after the test, I know I had a conversation with the doctor but by the time I get home, I can't remember a word of it so then I have to call him the next day to find out what he told me.  After one endoscopy years ago, the doctor asked me later, "Do you remember what we discussed?" and I said, "I don't even remember you being in the room!"

The biggest inconvenience to me is that they won't perform the test unless you have a ride home from the hospital and they won't let you take a cab.  They insist a family member or friend is there for you.  My mother doesn't drive so I always have to rely on friends to take me home.  I hate inconveniencing someone, plus it's a hassle trying to coordinate the appointments with the doctor, the hospital, and my ride's schedule.

So we'll see what happens once I have the endoscopy in a couple of weeks.

On a depressing note, however, the CT scan revealed that I have a large gall stone.  I knew I had gall stones back in 2008 but doctors said they weren't bad and there was nothing to do about them at the time.  Apparently one of them has grown pretty large.  My doctor is going to consult with a surgeon to see if I need to have my gall bladder removed which means I may be looking at surgery before summer.  

When people lose a lot of weight, especially when it's a fast loss, they'll be at higher risk of getting gall stones.  In fact, when people have gastric bypass surgery, the surgeons will often remove the gall bladder at the same time.  During my journey, I was worried that this might happen to me, too.  We'll see what the surgeon has to say.  

Part of me is depressed that I'll probably have to undergo yet another surgery, but then this is the consequence of what I did to myself.  Living in obesity for so many years wore down my body and now I'm dealing with the aftermath of that.  I just keep thinking, "This is another setback.  For the millionth time, the universe is throwing a wrench in the works."  This journey has been fraught with setbacks, trials, and tribulations.  It never fails, when things are going well, the other shoe drops.  So in addition to having to deal with Flaminia's move to New York, now I have to deal with health issues once again.

I know I'll overcome this the way I have overcome everything else, but it's frustrating, particularly because there's a lot of waiting and uncertainty about what will happen in the near future.  I hate waiting.  

In the meantime, thankfully I'm not in any pain and I'm doing pretty good overall.  Any stomach issues I'm having are very minor and I'm back to eating normally.  I've also returned to my working out routine again, too.  I will NOT let this defeat me or thwart me from my goal.  I'm almost there and this only sets me back a few more months.