Here, Swallow This Garden Hose!

I first started having trouble way back in 1980, after over a year in Bolivia. Pain in my upper chest, loss of appetite, nausea, and trouble swallowing were among my symptoms. Back in those days it wasn’t that easy to catch a plane and run back to the US to see a doctor.

So, when the doctor said I needed to have a tube put into my stomach to see what was going on, I accepted. Woody and I reported to the dark, dusty office of the gastroenterologist. He picked up a tube that looked to be the size of a garden hose, handed it to me and said nonchalantly, “Swallow!”

Looking back on it, I can’t believe I did it! But, somehow I managed to gag and choke and swallow repeatedly until that garden hose reached my stomach.

Don’t ever tell me I’m not a brave woman!

The ironic thing is that they found nothing. Maybe they needed a more powerful flashlight to shine down the hose, who knows? (Just kidding about the flashlight!)

Over the years since then I have had seven more experiences of swallowing the hose. Fortunately, that was the only time I had to do it while fully conscious. And the tubes have become narrower since then, so it’s hard to mistake them now for a garden hose!

It really wasn’t until my experience in Louisiana that they found my troubles. Up until then I’d been told a number of things, including that my nausea was all in my head. I never believed that one for one minute! When I finally got treatment for severe acid reflux and esophagitis, I experienced an appetite for the first time in years! (Though that doctor helped me immensely, we learned later that he was convicted of injecting his lover with AIDS tainted blood! We saw his photo in TIME magazine!)

Among my worst gastroscopies was the first of several in Minnesota. That time I was given a drug to make me just unconscious enough to not be able to cooperate, but to recall every second of the procedure. I decided I’d rather do it fully conscious!

In 1997 my doctor in Illinois discovered that I had precancerous changes in my esophagus. Because of that, plus heartburn and other symptoms that could not be controlled, I underwent surgery to literally tie a knot between my stomach and esophagus, using a piece of my stomach as the loop of the knot.

A gastroscopy shortly after that surgery was another one of my worst. Keep in mind that my new knot not only kept acid from refluxing, but it prevented air from coming up easily, i.e. burping. During the endoscopy they filled my stomach with air to better visualize the stomach lining. Upon waking up, I had a tight balloon in my gut that would not deflate. I was miserable! My body was doing all it could to relieve the distress. Finally, after continually vomiting up air for a half hour, they gave me something to control my vomiting. That medicine, combined with the anesthesia, made it impossible to stay awake for more than 3 minute intervals. During those brief intervals of consciousness I could only think, “Oh, man! I feel horrible!”

They finally thought I was awake enough to send me home. Woody went for the car and they sat me in a wheel chair. I promptly fell asleep and awoke to find them catching me while I slid unconscious out of the chair!

I won’t go into the others that were miserable. I’ll just tell you that it doesn’t have to be that bad! I’ve learned a number of tricks and have given doctors a number of suggestions to make life easier.

I also have to give credit to my most recent gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. He is the one who has figured out why all of this has been happening to me over the past 25 years. Most of my troubles are a result of the serious gastrointestinal illnesses I’ve suffered, especially during our first years in Bolivia. Unfortunately, he hasn’t been able to offer me much of a solution for the ailment he’s diagnosed, but at least he is a very caring, compassionate physician. That goes a long way!

I thank God also for my loving, persevering husband, and the good physicians and clinic here in Costa Rica that made my last endoscopic experience a good one!

The results of this gastroscopy were not so bad, but not so good, either. They found no evidence of cancer or ulceration, which is good news. However, the “wrap” that they did in the surgical procedure to my stomach eight years ago now has loosened slightly and is allowing reflux of acid once again. Despite strong acid blockers, I also have some “superficial gastritis.” It looks like the “Barrett’s esophagus” (precancerous area) is slightly larger as well. The doctor feels that the chronic cough I have had this year is related to the reflux, since he observed acid refluxing up to my mouth during the procedure. L They also removed a small polyp from my stomach, but feel that will prove to be benign and of no consequence. (Biopsies are still pending.) I also have developed another small hiatal hernia. (They fixed a hiatal hernia during my surgery 8 years ago.)

By the way, if you still think I’m not a brave woman, ask me sometime about putting in my own IV before the latest endoscopy!