I have not been feeling well since August. The day we were moving out of our house I had some pain that felt like maybe a gall stone attack. Over the last 8 months I have had an ultrasound, A LOT of blood work, a CT scan and an MRI. In the blood work it kept showing my LFT's (Liver Function Test numbers) were rising or staying pretty high. We couldn't figure out what the issue was. What I knew was that on nights I was hooked up to TPN I would be nauseated at night and feel like or actually throw up in the morning, only to feel like staying in bed till noon that day. Eventually the nausea, and at time puking, continued even on days that I wasn't on TPN.
I found myself in the ER on Saturday. I had horrific pain Friday night, and in the morning there was a hardness on the side of my gut which made my husband and I wonder if I had a small bowel obstruction. I was in class online for my 2nd to last module in my Spiritual Direction training. I had to ask they to record the rest of the class so I could get to the ER. I am so thankful for the friends and family who helped take care of my kids so that I could get to the hospital. In the end they were not fully sure what was up but assumed a slight small bowel obstruction which finally began to work it's way out of my system. Once I suspected it I quit eating and spent hours drinking water, trying to flush my system. Normally I am on multiple meds to help combat the chronic runs from the short gut syndrome I deal with. However during this time I didn't need meds which made me realize something was up too.
I finally got referred to a Liver Specialist and she ordered an MRI only a more specialized version so that they could see the ducts from my liver, gallbladder and pancreas as well as my abdomen. This took place yesterday.
Today I got a call from my specialist. She informed me that I have a BILIARY DUCT STRICTURE. At this point they are pretty sure it's not cancer as they don't see any tumors or masses. That said my cancer never showed up on scans, nor as tumors 4 yrs ago. So they way forward? My specialist will be informing my TPN doctor who apparently can do a special procedure called and ERCT (Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography). The duct between my liver and intestine is narrowing and is a few centimeters long where this is happening. On top of this I have gall stones. I knew the one medication, the shot I get monthly that helps with the diarrhea but also is anti-tumoral for me, could eventually give me gall stones. I was told that when I started on it 4 years ago. But because it's anti-tumoral I will admit I am really nervous if they ask me to go off of it. So they plan to go in, cut a slit into my intestine and take some samples. If they need to they will use a balloon to inflate it and put in a stent.
So how am I handling the news? I cried. To be honest I was crying out to God this morning before the phone call asking for healing but also asking that something be found on the MRI because for months I knew something was wrong and I didn't want to feel like it was all in my head. Hearing the word stricture through me for a loop. It was December 2016 when I was told that the colonoscopy I had found a stricture between my large and small bowel. It wasn't until a month later that we realized that structure was from the tumor that invaded my appendix and was pushing it's way into the intestine wall. So I am trying to not worry. I am trying not to show the tears or worry especially for my 7 yrs old as she has been in tears and clinging tonight, worried that I will have to stay in the hospital and having it retrigger the 4 months she barely saw in in 2017 when I was in and out of the hospital. And tonight, the bloating, discomfort and pain is rising up again. I am trying hard to not show the kiddos but I am beginning to wonder if I may need to see the ER again tonight.
Please pray that I can get this procedure quickly. Please pray for healing. Please pray that the gall stones will disintegrate. Pray that I stay healthy and that my family does as well so that I can get into this procedure. Please pray for peace for my kids as they see me not feeling well and try to process it. Please pray that I can feel better as I wait. It's been a hard week of not feeling well and lots of pain and discomfort as this stricture is hindering bile from getting through and doing what it needs to do.
