Cody Updates by Mom

Not only am I not having a full work week this week, I am headed back down to Mayo tomorrow.  Ugh.

As most of you know, I have been struggling with eating lately and had dialed back my eating quite a bit.  The struggle this weekend ended up being some of the medications that caused me to have issues.  This caused me to end up calling Michelle from Dr. Kendrick’s office today.  I had mentioned yesterday that I was hoping to wean off of the pain meds.  The pain meds are narcotics that have a side effect of constipation.  At the risk of being gross, I was having an issue.  Actually an issue that hadn’t resolved itself from surgery on Friday.  Saturday evening I took the stool softeners to help with that wonderful side effect and assumed (incorrectly) that all would work itself out.  Sorry, made me laugh at that one.  🙂  Well, it didn’t.  Sunday I took two more.  Still no luck.  I was having more and more trouble eating throughout the day on Sunday.  Sunday night I went to the ones that they gave me from my stomach surgery (their stronger) and hoped that I would be able to have relief.  Work wasn’t going to be fun if I couldn’t.  I had stopped taking the pain meds in hope that would help even though I would have preferred to stay on them to deal with the pain.

After the last pill, I continued to have significant issues eating.  I threw up yogurt, cottage cheese (with my antibiotics) and now even liquid.  I went to bed last night with the hope that over night not only my one issue would be resolved but whatever was stuck would somehow miraculously be unstuck.

Non of that came true.  With not having either issue resolved by 6am this morning I decided that work wasn’t going to happen.  I really didn’t need to spend all day in the bathroom at work.  I could do that at home and be as equally unproductive here.  Luckily later in the morning I was able to get some relief however I was still unable to eat much.  Again, threw up yogurt and tried to take my antibiotic with just A1 and no cottage cheese.  No luck.  I could drink but had to take it slow.  With this issue I am acutely aware that the problem is there.  If you imagine a garden hose that has a kink in it.  You can hear the water gurgling through it as it passes the kink.  It is sometimes loud and I will get that odd look from Jim or Cody.  You know the look, the “what the heck was that?” look.  I can feel it too.  I take a drink and I can feel the bubbles going through the spot. Jim called over lunch and said enough is enough, you need to call Mayo.

I am always impressed at how every time I have called to talk to Michelle they have been able to get her on the phone.  I have called twice with issues not being able to eat and both times they have not had me even hang up.  They find her and I get to talk to her right away.  Maybe if I wasn’t having an eating issue it would be different but it is a relief to know that they will do their best to locate her.  I so very much appreciate the level of care that is Mayo.  Michelle said that she would talk with Kendrick and find out if he wanted to do a contrast test or go for the full scope.  Since I am almost eight weeks out from surgery she thought he may want the scope.  She was right.  I am scheduled for a scope tomorrow morning.  They will be putting me under so it is another day for Jim to sit and wait for me to have something done and wake up.

She said that I could be having a “stricture”.  This is where during the healing process a scar forms in the area where surgery was performed and pulls the esophagus to cause it to become very narrow and have difficulty in swallowing.  She said this is rare however a possibility.  Since I am having issues with foods like yogurt and sometimes liquids there is a possibility it is happening.  If this is happening they will dilate the esophagus to open it up again.  I could also have something so stuck that they have to remove it manually.  Yippee.  Sounds like a boatload of fun all the way around.  Sorry, the sarcasm fairy has been visiting a lot this weekend.  My hope will be to leave Mayo with a solution to my eating problems.

The great thing is that we will know all results in the afternoon as we have an appointment after lunch with Michelle to go over what was found and what steps I will need to take to not have this happen again.

So tonight I am on a strict diet of only pureed or liquids.  No pills of any kind unless they are absolutely required.  No eating solids after midnight.  No non-clear liquids after 2:30 am.  I can have water, apple, white grape, coffee, tea etc.  They want me to drink water in the morning up until 2 hours prior to my procedure so that will be around 6:30 am.  We will have to leave shortly after that to get to Mayo on time so it should be easy to manage the timing.

I know that I am continuing to move forward but I cannot help but feel that I am continuing to take steps backward.  It is extremely frustrating.  Even though I am trying so very hard to be okay with everything, I have hit some lows.  It is hard not to focus on missing eating.  The weird thing is that even though I don’t feel hungry, I think about food a lot.  I miss the feel of eating a sandwich or a burger.  I dearly miss pizza like you would not believe.  I miss texture and crunch.  I know, I know, it will get better and I will be able to eat those things again.  I am just at a spot that, quite honestly, I am having my pity party and sometimes inviting Jim.  Recently, he asked what I would want to eat and that he would make me anything.  In tears I told him I wanted a fricken piece of pizza.  Not my shining moment.  He has to deal with so much and is such a wonderful supporter.  Don’t worry, I got my big girl panties ready for tomorrow and will be back on the Mel recovery train soon.

Caring Bridge Comments

Lorelie|Mar 24, 2015 5:26pm
Pity parties are ok now and then, so not to worry. I can only imagine how frustrating this is for you, but I know you’ll solve this one like all the other problems and challenges you’ve faced. Hang in there, and my thoughts are with you as you head to Mayo for their help. (Blender pizza idea? Not so much!)