![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Pink elephants on parade!
Sunday, 27 February 2011 18:26I'm happy to say that I had a much better week this time around than the last, by simple virtue of the fact that nothing bad happened.
NOTHING. In fact, it was pretty non-eventful, which is probably the best thing I could say about it.
All week, I had been dreading Friday, since I'd have to find out the results of last week's upper GI series (barium chugging and x-rays of the abdomen, what fun). Needless to say, I was nervous as hell.
You'll be happy to know that nothing new was found, outside of the fact that yes, I have Crohn's disease. It hasn't spread or gotten worse, so I was relieved. I also got some clarification as to what the surgeon meant by doing "exploratory surgery." Basically, in order to get the best look at the rectal area, I need to be completely sedated--if I'm conscious, then pain ensues as he tries to pull back skin, which invariably leads to involuntary muscle contraction, which means he can't get a good look at all to see if there's infection that he may have missed. He doesn't want to make additional incisions if he doesn't have to--in fact, for a Crohn's patient, the less cutting that gets done, the better. By having me in an operating room setting under complete sedation, he can have the best look without the mess of me thrashing about in pain, and fix anything, if it needs it. All he wants is a good look, and this does not have to be done right away.
We came to an agreement--now since I'm back out of school, I can go back to eating healthy and getting adequate rest. If there is no progress made by the time I see him again in April, then I'll go ahead and have him check out the problem with me knocked out. In the meantime, I'm going to make an appointment with a compounding pharmacy (a pharmacy that's allowed to make their own medicines) for some consultation and additional advice on how to get me back to full health. I was surprised to find out that my surgeon recommends said pharmacy--"they're awesome," he said. I didn't think doctors recommended anything that wouldn't put a buck in their pocket from insurance companies, but that's me being cynical. So, I'll head on over at some point and see what needs to be done.
The next few weekends look to be busy; this upcoming weekend I'll have some company and some civil service exams. The second weekend of March has me in Boston for the three-day gaming convention that is PAX East, and I think I may be heading down to Washingtonville the following weekend.
Here's hoping things keep looking up. :)
NOTHING. In fact, it was pretty non-eventful, which is probably the best thing I could say about it.
All week, I had been dreading Friday, since I'd have to find out the results of last week's upper GI series (barium chugging and x-rays of the abdomen, what fun). Needless to say, I was nervous as hell.
You'll be happy to know that nothing new was found, outside of the fact that yes, I have Crohn's disease. It hasn't spread or gotten worse, so I was relieved. I also got some clarification as to what the surgeon meant by doing "exploratory surgery." Basically, in order to get the best look at the rectal area, I need to be completely sedated--if I'm conscious, then pain ensues as he tries to pull back skin, which invariably leads to involuntary muscle contraction, which means he can't get a good look at all to see if there's infection that he may have missed. He doesn't want to make additional incisions if he doesn't have to--in fact, for a Crohn's patient, the less cutting that gets done, the better. By having me in an operating room setting under complete sedation, he can have the best look without the mess of me thrashing about in pain, and fix anything, if it needs it. All he wants is a good look, and this does not have to be done right away.
We came to an agreement--now since I'm back out of school, I can go back to eating healthy and getting adequate rest. If there is no progress made by the time I see him again in April, then I'll go ahead and have him check out the problem with me knocked out. In the meantime, I'm going to make an appointment with a compounding pharmacy (a pharmacy that's allowed to make their own medicines) for some consultation and additional advice on how to get me back to full health. I was surprised to find out that my surgeon recommends said pharmacy--"they're awesome," he said. I didn't think doctors recommended anything that wouldn't put a buck in their pocket from insurance companies, but that's me being cynical. So, I'll head on over at some point and see what needs to be done.
The next few weekends look to be busy; this upcoming weekend I'll have some company and some civil service exams. The second weekend of March has me in Boston for the three-day gaming convention that is PAX East, and I think I may be heading down to Washingtonville the following weekend.
Here's hoping things keep looking up. :)
