My final meeting with the surgeon went as well as I had hoped. He said that this is one of the fastest recoveries he has seen. From his point of view, the surgery is complete.
I also met with the gastro-entomologist who first found the tumor during an endoscopy. I went to see him because it occurred to me that I may not need the antacid prescription that I took before surgery. After all, I wasn't eating much and my stomach didn't seem to be acidic at all. I was right. The instructions from the hospital release were incorrect. I shouldn't have been taking those prescriptions any more. They probably made eating more difficult.
He gave me some additional interesting facts:
- the number of people being diagnosed with this cancer is increasing
- there is no proof that medication for reflux (prevacid, priolsec, ranitadine) acutal work...they may be doing more harm than good
- my surgery cut a nerve that triggers the production of stomach acid so I don't have to worry about creating the same problem again, and
-my surgery also disposed of the sphincter muscle that closes off the stomach from the esophagus and I'm now dependent on gravity to settle my stomach through the digestion process.
So, those of you are living with a reflux condition (and it seems like half of you are) need to get rid of the condition by cutting out the cause as opposed to treating the symptoms. Eat smaller meals more often. Stay away form acidic foods. Don't eat much before going to bed. Stay at a healthy weight.
I've scheduled a follow-up endoscopy in two weeks to have a closer look at how things are working to make sure there is no mechanical problems with the reconfigured stomach and esophagus.
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2 comments:
Hi Bob,
Moving some 40 years worth of household goods is never a piece of cake. But finding the energy to do it just two months after your surgery is remarkable (and more than a little embarassing to someone who is still bragging about cleaning out her jewelry box last week...)
Alan and I are so glad to hear that your surgeon is "finished" with you, and that your recovery time is far ahead of the usual. We send our good wishes for golf time and pool time whenever you get the chance and the inclination. Before you know it, you'll be working again, and you'll wish you'd spent more time playing!
Good luck to you and Sharon with the closets, drawers and general paring down.
Love to you both,
Charlotte & Alan
You're a lucky man to be looking back on a difficult time that you have come through so well.
We who've followed your blog are lucky to know you and fortunate that you have enlightened us about a type of serious health risk that we might have disregarded.
As the Norwegians say, "fortsatt god bedring"! Keep getting better.
Kind regards,
Michael
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