Medical Saga continues...
Well, had another appointment with my new surgeon at Emory. After all the MRI's, endoscopy, GI series, etc, this is what he had to say.
* - I have some scar tissue around my gall bladder - he's surprised I still have it, with all the other junk that's been going on.
* - I have a narrowing in the small bowel, hence the inability to 'process' food properly.
* - I have 'tons-o-adhesions' throughout my intestines - again compounding the digestive problems.
He said I have 3 options:
1 - Go to Pittsburgh, meet with a specialist up there, get evaluated, and get on the list for an intestinal transplant. Basically, they remove my small intestine, colon, etc, and transplant someone else's into me. (Actually, I'm not sure if it's lab-grown, synthetic, or another person)
2 - Remain like I am forever. Evidently they can sustain me for the rest of my life on my TPN (the IV I'm connected to at night) The risk here is eventual liver damage/failure, and I'm stuck with an IV and my lovely gastric bag till the end of my time.
3 - Have an 8+ hours worth of surgery, where he would remove 80% of my stomach, part of my intestines, and as much of the scar tissue as he can, and anything else he deems needed. There would be no guarantee that this will work, or that in 6 months, I'm back to where I am now. He also said to plan on at least another month's hospital stay. We also have to agree to give him Carte Blanche to do whatever he thinks is appropriate.
Now, I'm not particularly liking ANY of these options...but I think I have to go with #3. I need at least a chance to be semi-normal again. I want to be 'wireless'!! The surgery will be sometime near the end of September, early October. After Red-Tower, and Meridian Grand Tournament, of course.
So, that's where I stand. I'm apprehensive, over-whelmed, and really wishing I wasn't me right now. However, all-in-all, I know things will turn out alright - I just have to remember "I'm healed" and wait for my body to align with The Word!
Love to all,
B.
* - I have some scar tissue around my gall bladder - he's surprised I still have it, with all the other junk that's been going on.
* - I have a narrowing in the small bowel, hence the inability to 'process' food properly.
* - I have 'tons-o-adhesions' throughout my intestines - again compounding the digestive problems.
He said I have 3 options:
1 - Go to Pittsburgh, meet with a specialist up there, get evaluated, and get on the list for an intestinal transplant. Basically, they remove my small intestine, colon, etc, and transplant someone else's into me. (Actually, I'm not sure if it's lab-grown, synthetic, or another person)
2 - Remain like I am forever. Evidently they can sustain me for the rest of my life on my TPN (the IV I'm connected to at night) The risk here is eventual liver damage/failure, and I'm stuck with an IV and my lovely gastric bag till the end of my time.
3 - Have an 8+ hours worth of surgery, where he would remove 80% of my stomach, part of my intestines, and as much of the scar tissue as he can, and anything else he deems needed. There would be no guarantee that this will work, or that in 6 months, I'm back to where I am now. He also said to plan on at least another month's hospital stay. We also have to agree to give him Carte Blanche to do whatever he thinks is appropriate.
Now, I'm not particularly liking ANY of these options...but I think I have to go with #3. I need at least a chance to be semi-normal again. I want to be 'wireless'!! The surgery will be sometime near the end of September, early October. After Red-Tower, and Meridian Grand Tournament, of course.
So, that's where I stand. I'm apprehensive, over-whelmed, and really wishing I wasn't me right now. However, all-in-all, I know things will turn out alright - I just have to remember "I'm healed" and wait for my body to align with The Word!
Love to all,
B.