Health Updates/12:21

Daron:
Well, 12:21 is officially over.  Thankfully Daron is doing well.  His ANC was 2.6 today which means he is no longer neutropenic.  This is a very good thing!  He is trying to wean himself off of the IV pain meds and expand his diet from shakes in preparation for going home (discharge date is not yet determined).  Since he is decreasing the pain meds he is still is a lot of pain but doing well given the circumstance.  We've grown accustomed to the noon prayers for Daron.  Erik watches the clock for it! So we will likely carry on - continue to join us if you so desire!

Me:
I am fine but have had this weird abdominal pain off and on for 3 years.  The first time it happened was during the end of Lainey's pregnancy.  I assumed it was related to the pregnancy and saw my OB doctor about it.  Everything was fine and it went away after 24 hours so I assumed it was a one time thing.

It wasn't.

For the past three years I have had intermittent RUQ and epigastric abdominal pain.  It seems to come out of the blue, usually once every 6-8 weeks, lasting about 24 hours during an "episode."   Some bloating and nausea during an episode in addition to fairly uncomfortable pain.  In between episodes I am essentially asymptomatic.

I saw an IM doctor 2 years ago assuming it was my gall bladder.  An ultrasound was normal though so I just ignored it.  The episodes persist though so I finally took myself to a GI doctor.

They don't really know how to explain it either so I've had a HIDA scan and EGD done this week.  The HIDA scan looks for Gall bladder dysfunction  - mine was essentially normal.

I had the EGD today.  It showed mild gastritis and a hiatal hernia.  I don't feel like either of those things really explain the episodes of pain but I am going to take Prevacid daily and see if the episodes go away while I am taking meds.  The doctor did take a biopsy to look for H. Pylori so we'll see what that shows.

(My stomach - hiatal hernia is in the first photo)

So, my pain is still kind of a mystery but at least we've ruled a few things out.  I'd have to say the EGD was a piece of cake (nudge nudge... to those of you in my family who need to have one done!!!).  I had no idea they did anything at all and besides feeling a little light headed post-procedure had no ill effects at all.