Office Visit 05/07/2013

I had a follow up (in between scopes) appointment with Dr Kandil today.  I have to admit that the drive to Greenville is LONG...2 hours each way for a 10 minute appointment, but Dr Kandil is amazing!  He is concerned about ME and how to treat ME.  I have NEVER had a gastro examine me so thoroughly...I have no idea what he's looking for or what he expects to find, but he checks my pulse points in my feet, my neck, etc; he feels for lumps under my skin (prone to cysts and bone tumors due to FAP/Gardner's); he listens to my stomach, heart, and lungs; pokes and prods my abdomen.  We talk about the uniqueness of having FAP and how doctors sometimes just don't know what to do with cases like mine because as 1st and 2nd generation survivors, we're creating a new frontier and changing what was previously known about FAP...all in the space of 10 minutes.

At the end of today's appointment, he decided that he was more concerned about the formation of adenomatous polyps in my j-pouch.  He said that the adenomatous polyps in my stomach are pretty much contained to a certain area that he's keeping track of to make sure that they don't spread from that area in a short period of time or that they grow in size too quickly.  He'd like to repeat the endoscopy in 3 or 4 months but really wants to re-scope my j-pouch.  Right now, it's scheduled for the first week of June...before the kids get out of school and before we do any traveling this summer.

There is still uncertainty as to whether or not I'll have my stomach removed sometime in the next year, but as long as the adenomatous polyps are contained, Dr Kandil is in support of waiting as long as possible to do it.  He's glad that the ball is rolling for me to be seen by the small bowel transplant surgeon at Duke...just to talk about my case and what's involved in having some small intestines added to my system for IF and WHEN it is needed in my future.  Thanks to FaceBook, I already know TWO ladies who have had it done...that is what does make technology amazing...all because of God who is awesome!

Thanks for your continued support and prayers.

Operation Save My Stomach--Scope #1

Today was the 1st in what I thought was going to be a series of monthly endoscopies (EGDs) over an unknown period of time to help me keep my stomach for as long as possible.  I had hoped to have a better idea of the time frame...like 6 or 12 or 18 months after today's procedure, but I do not.  What I do know is that the game plan has changed…again, & I’m fine with that.  Dr Kandil has spent a lot of time talking to others to get their input as well as doing additional research.  In the process, he has realized that while I do have a lot of polyps (both real and fake), all results so far have come back without any cause for suspicion, and the area of real polyps is small.  So, basically, the situation isn’t really as dire as he previously thought and doesn’t warrant doing something as drastic as scoping me each month.  Just going under anesthesia each month presents a challenge.  On top of that, “burning” areas of my stomach will only remove the polyps from the surface of my stomach, but it will not actually get the roots which means that traces of the adenoma will be left behind via the roots.  On the other hand, going in and removing a bunch of them for biopsy will remove the roots, but he won’t be able to cover as large of an area.  Another thing he learned is that while I do have some adenomatous polyps which do have a 100% chance of turning malignant in time, the time over which that happens is a lot longer than other areas of the GI tract like the colon & duodenum which are already removed in me.

So, I’ll go back in 6 weeks for a follow-up to see if he’s found anything new to try as well as to get the biopsy results.  Of course, he will call sooner than that if anything unexpected is found in the report.  Then, I’ll have another scope done 3 months from now with the plan to continue doing this for as long as possible.

Thanks to Linnea Ransom (my chauffeur) and Robin Cooper (potty break for Brownie), Thanks also to you for reading this blog and for your continued prayer and support as I continue to live my life on this journey of living with FAP.

Post Scope Follow-up with Gastro at ECU

Today, I took the very long drive from Camp LeJeune to Greenville for a follow-up appointment with my gastro, Dr Kandil.  I think I was the only patient he saw today…the office was totally empty.  The other 2 times I’d been there, the waiting room was filled with people, and there was all kind of activity going on in the exam area.  Today, it was a ghost town…except for the 2 receptionists and a couple of nurses walking the hallways.  As usual, he gave me a friendly “hello” and a hand shake.  Then, he got right down to business.  He reviewed what we knew going into the last set of scopes, what was discovered during the scopes, the pathology reports, and the options.  He reported that my Whipple procedure was done fabulously (there was no doubt about it since the #1 Whipple surgeon in the world, Dr John Cameron at Johns-Hopkins, did it) and that I actually have 2 different locations where my stomach empties (who knew?) and that these 2 locations meet up at the top of my small intestines.  This made a lot of sense because I’d seen a picture of a scope where it looked like there were 2 tunnels, and I was scratching my head trying to figure out what I was looking at and eventually just blew it off.  He also said that my j-pouch was gorgeous and that other than a few tubular adenomas (pre-cancerous polyps) that he needed to remove, it should last a long time.  He also said that outside of the GJ-junction (where my stomach is reconnected to my small intestines) and my j-pouch, he found NO other adenomatous polyps.  AND...he attributed the polyps at the GJ-junction to the stomach and not to the small intestines.  THAT IS GREAT NEWS!!  He also admitted that it’s rare to have a patient like me and that he’s at loss as to what to do because this is uncharted waters, and he doesn’t want to make a mistake because it’d be at the expense of my life.

So, these are basically the options available:

1.  Remove all of my stomach with a gastrectomy and hook my small intestines straight to my esophagus

2.    Remove a portion of my stomach…the section with the most adenomatous polyps

3.    Wait until things get worse and try to do surgery before a malignancy develops

4.    Commit to coming in once a month for an endoscopy in which he’ll take the time to start removing some of the polyps that are lining my stomach taking a section/area each month.  The method used would be similar to uterine ablation but instead of using hot liquid in a balloon, he’d burn a small section with hot gas.  The area would heal easily, and then, the next month, he’d do another section but also be able to check on the areas already done.

After thoroughly discussing these options and once again having him admit that he wasn’t sure which one to do because they each have pros and cons, he asked me what I thought.  I acknowledged that none of the options would be 100% perfect, but that I’d really like to keep my stomach as long as possible…especially because it would be nice to enjoy eating.  Since the current game plan involved scoping every 3 months to keep tabs on things until Matt got back, I figured we could use the time to see if his idea worked.  I know it’ll be a pain to go there every month…I’ll need a driver and someone to cover the kids and the dog, etc, etc, etc; however, it is certainly worth a try.  The worst thing that will happen is that I’ll have a gastrectomy once Matt gets back which is the current plan anyway.  So I don’t see much of a chance to lose anything by at least trying.  He said that when the polyps did grow back that hopefully there would be only a dozen or so at a time which is a small quantity to handle the removal of…even 100 wouldn’t be as bad as the wall-to-wall stuff I have now.  (I eventually hope to scan my photos and share with you the freakishness of my stomach.)

He’s going in front of another tumor board to get their input on our game plan, but I already have a date for my next endoscopy which is Tuesday, March 12 at 0930.  That should be perfect because I can get the kids on the bus before I have to leave.  My friend Alina has volunteered to take me each month, but I’m going to see if I can get a couple more friends who can do it so that there can be a rotation of driving every 3-4 months instead of monthly.

We also talked about small intestine transplant.  He said there’s no reason for me to have it done, but that he still wanted me to see the specialist so he was going to put in the referral.  I asked a bunch of questions and found out that if I did have a gastrectomy, there would be no concern for esophageal reflux and acid because acid production is done in the stomach so once it’s removed, then the acid goes away.  I also asked about stomach and colon transplants.  He said that you can actually get your stomach all the way through your small intestines transplanted…pancreas, gall bladder, etc…all included.  The stomach is removed right after the esophagus empties into it and the new one is attached in the same place.  Now, while that sounds like it’d be a great option, there are some serious drawbacks.  The first is that it is a transplant so the anti-rejection drugs would need to be taken for the rest of my life and all the precautions for avoiding infection would need to be a part of my life also.  On top of that, even though the donor wouldn’t have FAP, once the organs are transplanted into my body, the FAP mutation would take over the new organs, and they, too, would start to grow adenomatous polyps.  So, I’d be right back at square one which would result in eventually having organs removed again.  (Wouldn’t that be something crazy to say...that I had a Whipple procedure twice or tmy pyloric valve removed twice or my gall bladder, etc?  Yeah, once was enough...no thank you.)  I’m glad it’s an “option” but am not really interested in it.

He also wants me to talk to their nutritionist…she has a doctorate…in order to help me make sure I’m eating as healthily as possible.  That is something I’ve been wanting to do for a very long time…not sure when it’s going to happen, but I’m glad that it’s in the works.

So, that’s where things stand right now.  I guess he’ll give me the input from the tumor board when I go for my endoscopy in 2 weeks.

Thanks for the continued prayers…I truly appreciate them.

Love & hugs,

Steph<><

Tumor Board Results

This morning, I was getting ready to leave for a routine mammogram appointment in Porters Neck when the phone rang.  It was the oncologist/GI surgeon, Dr Vohra, calling because the tumor board had met and given their recommendation.  She was still waiting to talk with my gastroenterologist in NOVA, Dr Brown, to get his input, but the overwhelming recommendation was for me to have gastrectomy once Matt returns from his “vacation” in the Middle East.  So, now, what exactly is a gastrectomy?  A gastrectomy is the removal of either a portion or all of the stomach…in my case, the recommendation is to remove the entire stomach.  (I did ask Dr Vohra just to make sure we were on the same page…and we were.)  It was very touching to have MY doctor call and talk to me about this instead of having a nurse, an assistant, or a PA relay the info from her.  I was even more touched by her thoughtfulness because in her opinion, it’d be better for my whole family to have Matt back here when it happens…especially for the kids to have dad here with them while mom was recovering from surgery…or at least that he would be available to spend time with them if it was needed.  There was 1 caveat to this whole deal…I need to be scoped every THREE months until the surgery.  As long as everything stays the same and there are no unexpected surprises, the surgery will be delayed until sometime after Matt’s return.  I’m hoping to have it done at the beginning of the summer, 2014.

All of this brings up a bunch of questions like how are things going to go for me without a stomach? I know people can live without one, but I'm already living without so much of my digestive tract that I have no idea how this will impact everything else. AND since the GJ-anastamosis site has problems because the stomach tissue isn’t meant to handle digestive juices like the small bowel does.  This causes ulceration and inflammation and ultimately causes an increase in the malignancy rate for the GJ-anastamosis.  Well, I know from talking to Dr Vohra, that there are even more problems associated with hooking up the small bowel directly to the esophagus…just think of all the people who have reflux…this would be like that be amplified.  On top of that, I still need to see the small bowel transplant surgeon at Duke. This was just something my gastro wanted me to discuss "just in case", but with the upcoming gastrectomy, having additional small intestines would be a huge thing...especially since I have adenomas in my new duodenum AND in my pouch and could eventually be facing ANOTHER Whipple procedure and ANOTHER j-pouch surgery.  UGH!!  Isn't that "special"? I hadn't even thought of those two, but Dr Vohra pointed out that it's possible for me to have another Whipple if polyps grow in what is now my new duodenum. Can you imagine the nightmare that would create? I do not want to even think about it…or having a new j-pouch created. My Daddy asked if they can transplant some small intestines, why can't they do it for a stomach or a colon...now THAT would be VERY NICE!! Then we could keep a list of organs removed & replaced & be added to yet another category of rare people in this world.

Obviously,  this is all quite overwhelming…not just about having the surgery, but I am also overwhelmed by the God who created me and loves me and sent His Son to die for ME.  He has me right where He wants me…right where I need to be…in the right place…at just right time.  That is no accident; it is not a coincidence.  This is divine providence that is showing up in so many ways:

1.   I have specialists who know what to do with me and who are interested in what’s best for me.  Even though it is rare to have a patient with so many digestive organs removed (in part or in whole), I am not a total anomaly to them.  AND they have no problem admitting when they need to look into something or get additional input.  This is so much better than the guy I saw down in Wilmington…looking back, he was clearly overwhelmed and had no idea what to do with me.

2.  I have a very good friend who had a gastric sleeve done and has to follow a modified diet.  Now, she will be the 1^st to admit that her diet and situation are nothing in comparison to what I’m facing, but I disagree.  I think that if you have any type of deviation from the normal, then you can relate to someone else in a similar situation…maybe not entirely, but you can find the common ground and then exaggerate it to get to a better understanding of the extreme of another person’s situation.  This is definitely the case with my friend.  I admire her so much because she’s so good at planning her diet.  When she’s home, she sets the timer to go off every hour and alternates between eating something small and drinking to give her body what she needs.  When she goes out, her purse is packed with snacks like grapes, almonds, protein bars, etc.  I cannot even fathom being that organized but know that I will have to be.

3.  One of my neighbors and a very good friend is a chef…well, she says she was a chef before she became a full-time mom, but really, she’s a chef.  On top of that, she has a child with Prader-Willi Syndrome, a very rare but complicated genetic disorder.  Food is like a drug to her child who gets the same euphoric feeling that drug users do.  The brain always signals that it’s ALWAYS hungry even if the child just finished eating.  On top of that, her child’s body uses every single calorie consumed.  Since NOTHING goes unused, my friend makes nutrient dense foods to keep her child’s body as healthy as it can be and to control the tendency of PWS patients to become obese (think about it…it the brain is always sending signal that it’s starving AND it keeps every calorie consumed).  Anyway, this dear, sweet friend offered to help with my transition to eating with my stomach-less plumbing once the time comes.  She will take care of E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G…from talking to a nutritionist (with me present), to planning meals (with me), to shopping for the food, prepping, etc.  I just need to sit down with her to learn what I need to know so I can eventually take over the responsibility for myself.  This is soooo amazing because she automatically took this on herself…she volunteered to do this without any asking on my part.  On top of that, I already KNOW how good she is at this because #1, she is a chef, and #2, she does this for her child.  She’ll take care of all the overwhelming stuff while I’m trying to recuperate, and then, she’ll teach me to do it myself. WHAT…A…BLESSING!

4.  I’ve gained some weight lately.  Most of it is from the naturally occurring changes in metabolism once a woman hits her 40s.  I even joked about this a couple of weeks ago…without knowing what was coming up. My diet hasn't really changed, but I've definitely gained enough “uncomfortable” weight that I’d like do something to tone things up (especially butt & thighs), but since I’m still dealing with whiplash from the accident, I can’t do much in the area of exercise.  Looking at my track record, it appears that every time I gain weight, something happens where I will benefit from the additional weight to have a larger buffer to keep me from dropping below 100 lbs. So as much as I don’t like this extra weight, I do think it's good because it’s more weight to prevent me from going below 100.

Well, I think that’s enough questions and information for anyone to digest right now…no pun intended.  I greatly covet your prayers as I continue this journey of living with FAP.

Consult with Oncologist/GI Surgeon

OK...this is the latest (detailed) update in the never ending saga of living with FAP:  I met with the oncologist/GI surgeon (Dr Vohra) at ECU & have to say that I...love...her!  She treated me like I was a human & not another “case”.  She even told the medical student that I probably knew more than she (the oncologist) did about FAP/Gardner's Syndrome.  She was amazed at my many GI (gastrointestinal) surgeries that I've had because it’s common for a doctor to see patients with just 1 of them but not 1 patient with all of them (subtotal colectomy with IRA, a resection, total removal with a j-pouch & temporary ileostomy & a Whipple)…I even got to show her my scar.  LOL

Anyway, Dr Vohra gave me the biopsy results from my scopes (upper & lower) 2wks ago which showed that while I had NO malignancies, I definitely have adenomatous (pre-cancerous) polyps in my stomach, in the upper portion of my small intestines (where my duodenum used to be), AND in the lower portion of my small intestines (where my colon used to be).  (So much for that other gastroenterologist in Wilmington with his very dismissive “that doesn't happen” attitude.)

I also got an education in how the GI tract was designed to work.  Since I lost my pyloric valve in the Whipple procedure, if food backs up in my small intestines, there’s nothing to prevent it from going back into my stomach or just staying in my stomach before emptying (Delayed Gastric Emptying or DGE).  She explained that while the stomach produces digestive juices, it’s not intended to have food in it on a long-term basis as the small intestines were designed to do.  This especially explains the continual problem I’m having with inflammation & ulceration at the anastamosis site which is where Dr Cameron connected my jejunum (portion of the small intestines after the duodenum which was removed during the Whipple) to my stomach (ie…gastro-jejunum anastamosis).  This continues to happen off & on regardless of the super-duper meds that I take to suppress gastric juices.  It’s also 1 of the reasons why there’s a high chance of malignancy at this site…things just aren't meant to come in contact with stomach tissue like that.

Then, we had a discussion about various options including close monitoring through scopes or surgery & of course, which type & when.  She said that determining a treatment plan for me would not be an easy decision to make because of the fine line between putting off surgery for as long as possible (because the cycle will just repeat itself) & getting it done before a malignancy develops.  Another possibility is just resectioning the anastamosis site because that would  delay the need to have a repeat Whipple…just like before when all of the stuff that plugs into the duodenum was disconnected from the duodenum & then reconnected to the jejunum except this time, it’d all be disconnected from the jejunum & the reconnected to the next part down.  It’d be just as serious & dangerous as the 1^st Whipple, & I definitely do not want to repeat that again.  Wow…who knew that I could be Whippled twice?  Not me & I hope that I don't have to, either!

She will call my gastro from NOVA (Dr Brown) as well as my current gastro at ECU (Dr Kandil) to get their input.  She will also present my case before the “Tumor Board” that meets every Friday morning in order to get additional input.  She said that she probably wouldn't present it this week because she wants a fair amount of time to present the case so that the facts don’t get rushed through & end up with a hasty decision. 

As of now, she is also inclined to recommend that I have an endoscopy every 3 months (sooner if additional issues arise) & a colonoscopy of my non-existing colon every 6 months.  She suggests that I have an outline tattooed around the “troubled” portion of my stomach so that it’s easily identified in follow up endoscopes.  Tattooing this area will also help to determine if the adenomas are spreading or if they’re staying isolated in that one area.   Have you ever heard the term “Never say, ‘Never’”?  Well, for those of you who know me well, I’m quite content to be tattoo-free & NEVER want to get one…that’s the need for me to rebel against what everyone’s doing just because “everyone’s” doing it…I’d much rather be an individual.  Well, I find hilarity in the idea that I just might be getting a tattoo after all…even if it’s on the inside where no one else can see.  It’s definitely a reminder that God is in control & that He has a sense of humor.  I will be placed in yet another rare group of those with an internal tattoo, AND I’ll be able to honestly say that I have a tattoo where the sun doesn't shine. ;-)

When it’s determined that surgery can be put off no longer, she suggests only removing the troublesome portion of my stomach & nothing else but also advises that I should be prepared for the worst just in case something happens during surgery which results in having all of my stomach removed which is always a possibility when performing any type of stomach surgery.

Finally, she agreed with Dr Kandil’s suggestion that I meet with a small bowel transplant surgeon in the Raleigh area because there is a very strong possibility that I will need this in the future to prevent short-gut syndrome.

First Round of Scope swith Dr Kandil

Yesterday, I had a double scope with my new gastro, Dr Hassam Kandil.  In the last 2 years, I’ve had a polyp grow at the base of my anus (not actually IN the pouch because the anus is still part of the colon), and I’ve had some real (instead of hyperplastic or fake) ones growing in my stomach.  Because of this, he wanted to go as far down into the small bowel with the EGD and as far up into the small intestines in the other direction with the colonoscopy to make sure no adenomatous polyps were growing in the small bowel.  I was not prepared for what he showed me after they were done.  Here’s what was found:

1.  It appears that the adenomatous (real…pre-cancerous) polyps in my stomach are growing and increasing in number.  They look very differently from the hyperplastic (fake) polyps that have been growing in my stomach for the past 18+ years.  Of course, we’ll have to wait for biopsy results to confirm the exact type of polyps these are.

2.  I also have what appear to be adenomatous (real) polyps at my GJ anastamosis (gastrojejunostomy...basically where my stomach and small intestines were reconnected during the Whipple procedure).  The adenomatous polyps are on the stomach side of the anastamosis (not on the small intestines side), and I’ve had issues with inflammation and ulceration at this location before.  Again, we’ll have to wait for biopsy results to get confirmation.

3.  He found several small polyps in my j-pouch which appear to be hyperplastic.  Once more, biopsy results will confirm if this is true.

4.  The good news is that no polyps were found in the rest of the small intestines that he was able to reach.

He wanted me to schedule a follow up appointment in 2 weeks to discuss the biopsy results.  Based on what he saw; however, he was going to put in a referral for me to see a surgeon about the possibility of having that portion of my stomach removed.  This morning, when I called to make my follow up appointment, I was told that he didn’t have an opening until the 27th of February.  His nurse said that he was fine with not seeing me until then because he’d already set up an appointment on the 11th with an Oncologist/GI surgeon to talk about the next step.  His nurse also said that if any of the biopsy results were to come back with unexpected info, I would definitely get a call from him before then.  Either way, all of the records will be in the system for the surgeon to see.

SIGH…often times, living with FAP seems to be a never-ending, uphill battle...like always getting the short end of the stick.  It is rarely a dull moment.

BTW...MEGA THANKS to my fellow Warrior Wives, Alina, Jodi and Megan for taking me (Alina), keeping my kids overnight (Jodi) & letting the dog out (Megan).  I appreciate it so much!

Second Opinion with a NEW Gastro at ECU

Today, I took the trip to Greenville to meet another gastroenterologist.  His name is Dr Hossam Kandil.  He's from Egypt and has the lightest blue eyes I've ever seen.  They are just gorgeous and in such stark contrast to his olive-complected skin.  Anyway, I met him and think he will be a great doctor for me.  He knows a lot about FAP but conceded that I probably knew more than he did.  He listened to my medical history and my concerns.  He did a physical exam which I think was probably the most in depth one any gastro has ever done on me...even Dr Hoang (UNTHSC in TX) and Dr Brown (QVA).  Of course, any type of exam would have been more than the doctor in Wilmington who didn't even poke me or listen to my heart beat.

Dr Kandil wants to repeat both scopes...he's not willing to go off of the previous gastro's scope in October.  I have an appointment scheduled for next week and will need to make arrangements for the kiddos and dog...and of course, a chauffeur for me.

He also recommended that I see a small bowel transplant surgeon just because that is something that may be necessary in my future, and he'd like me to be as informed as possible for whenever the need arises...proactive planning instead of reacting to the situation.

He also knows the kids' pediatric gastro and the colon-rectal surgeon so that will be a good arrangement for them to share info regarding our cases with one another.

I am really excited about this now...reminds me of Quantico when I had the first gastro for a few months and wasn't impressed with him before switching over to Dr Brown.  I am thankful for this new option and will not mind the drive since it ensures that I have great care.

Kids' Post-scopes Follow-up

Today, we were blessed to wake up before 6am in order to make the long drive to Greenville WITH Dad so he can meet the kids’ gastro (first appointment) and colon-rectal surgeon (2^nd appointment) AND get the results of their scopes back in October. This time, Dad got to drive, AND we managed to not even spot any deer along the way!

At both places, the nurse was only ready for 1 child even though both were on the schedule. When I asked about the other child, in both instances, the nurse looked confused before going to get the info on the 2^nd child. At the surgeon’s office, Matt was curious to know why this happened again.  I’d already told him that it wasn’t normal for multiple children in a family to be facing colon surgery like this and the nurse agreed with my statement.  Gotta love FAP, right? ;-) Anyway, both docs agreed to do both scopes again in a year…once Matt returns so he can help and not stick me with running back and forth between the kiddos. Both docs also agreed that (barring no problems) surgery can be held off for a few more years...I’m still hoping to do them at the same time. AND there’s a definite possibility of doing an IRA (not the retirement account but an ileo-rectal anastamosis) instead of a j-pouch. YAY! That’s another thing I ♥ about these 2 docs...neither discount my medical history and experience with FAP since the age of 12...gotta ♥ docs like that who recognize the difference between book knowledge and personal experience. I also found out that the colon surgeon knows the gastro I’m going to be seeing for a 2^nd opinion in January.  The doc has a good rep and hopefully won’t blow me off like the other doc I saw in Wilmington.

Once again, the doctors and staff of ECU Physicians managed to AMAZE us!

Best part of the day for the hubby and kiddos?  Getting to eat breakfast at Krispy Kreme in between the two appointments.

A Non-FAP Post to Celebrate Our Hero

WARNING...this is a LONG story that is not related to FAP at all, but sometimes, it's good to just share a story like this.  We often say that it’s never a dull moment at the Reis house.  We have one more story to support that statement as well as to show just how much WE ♥ OUR MARINE WHO BECAME A TRUE LIFE SAVER and HERO YESTERDAY!

Thanks to this crazy pre-dep exercise AND thanks to the military automatically switching to heat even though it’s been HOT here.  My Handsome Warrior of Marines was in the right place at the right time and did the right thing for the right reason...a total GOD-thing.  So, at 0-dark-30, he was in the admin office with all of the windows open (because of the heat being on in spite of the warm weather) when he heard a faint, strange noise.  He went to investigate and found a young Marine (younger, taller and heavier than he) who had given up on life and decided to hang himself from the 2nd floor of his barrack’s balcony in the building next to Matt’s.  Matt (all 5’6” and 150ish lbs of him) ran over and tried to lift the guy up to relieve the pressure from his neck while screaming for help.  The duty came out and was instructed to go upstairs to pull the guy up.  A couple more Marines came out to help the duty while another one was instructed to get Matt’s CO who is bigger and taller than Matt.  Matt helped position the CO’s shoulders under the Marine’s feet and then ran upstairs to where the Marines were still trying to pull the guy up.  Somehow, Matt reached way down over the railing, got a hold of the Marine and pulled him up and over the railing.  (I do NOT want to know how he did this because from his description and that of the CO, it sounds like he had a huge portion of his body hanging down over the railing without anyone holding onto him.) He got the Marine on the ground, untied his makeshift noose, felt for signs of life (there were NONE) and administered CPR.  He said it took about a minute or so before the guy responded.  When the revived Marine realized what was going on, he wasn’t happy and tried to JUMP off the 2nd floor.  Matt had to grab and restrain him.  When the MPs showed up, he and the CO brought the guy downstairs with Matt still bear-hugging the guy who was getting very close to fighting him in order to run away, but the CO muscled up and stood in front of the guy as if to say, “Don’t mess with me!” Then, the MPs took over and brought the guy to the hospital for help.

Unbeknownst to him, Matt’s unit immediately started the award process for his heroism.  His XO called me around 1130 to let me know that Matt had saved someone’s life (no other details were given) and that he was going to be awarded at 1330.  A friend lent me her car.  I hurried up and got the kids from school (after their fire drill was over...no checking kids out during a fire drill...again, NEVER a dull moment) and had to repeatedly say, “I don’t know” to all of their constant barrage of questions.  When we arrived at the end of the Post and Relief Ceremony (his unit was switching its Sergeants Major) but before he saw us, he was told that after the Post and Relief Ceremony was over, he was to report front and center and that his wife and kids had arrived.  He knew something was up but thought the CO was going to share what had happened.  He had no idea that he was receiving an award (medal) for heroism.  The CO recounted the whole story from his point-of-view which was the 1st time I'd heard the story.  Since even though I'd spoken to my hubby earlier that morning, he hadn't said anything because he was still trying to process what had happened. Even after this, he was quite humble and simply said that he'd like to think that anyone would have done the same thing just because they were Marines.

Needless to say, we went out to dinner and celebrated our HERO.  ♥

Here are some photos from the ceremony.  Photos and captions are courtesy of the USMC.  You can read more at http://www.dvidshub.net/image/800814/quick-decisive-action-saves-marines-life-camp-lejeune#.UT3vWxyThgs#ixzz2NF801hyZ.

Col Dwayne A Whiteside (center), the commanding officer of Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, and Sgt Maj Lanette N Wright (right), the sergeant major of CLR-2, stand ready to present a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal to Maj Matthew D Reis (left), the adjutant of CLR-2, during a ceremony December 11, 2012, aboard Camp LeJeune, NC.  Reis received the award for his exceptional situational awareness and immediate action while responding to a disturbance at a nearby barracks

Col Dwayne A Whiteside (right), the commanding officer of Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, pins a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal on the chest of Maj Matthew D Reis, the adjutant of CLR-2, during a ceremony December 11, 2012, aboard Camp LeJeune, NC.  Reis received the award for his exceptional situational awareness and immediate action while responding to a disturbance at a nearby barracks.

Col Dwayne A Whiteside (left), the commanding officer of Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, shakes the hand of Maj Matthew D Reis, the adjutant of CLR-2, during a ceremony December 11, 2012, aboard Camp LeJeune, NC.  Reis received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his exceptional situational awareness and immediate action while responding to a disturbance at a nearby barracks.

Col Dwayne A Whiteside (center), the commanding officer of Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, talks to the Marines and sailors of CLR-2 during an award ceremony aboard Camp LeJeune, N.C., December 11, 2012. Early in the morning, Maj Matthew D Reis (right), the adjutant of CLR-2, responded to a disturbance at a nearby barracks, which resulted in Reis saving the life of another Marine.

Maj Matthew D Reis, the adjutant of Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, listens during a ceremony aboard Camp LeJeune, NC, December 11, 2012, as the commanding officer talks about the disturbance Reis responded to early in the morning.  Reis received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his actions.

Maj Matthew D Reis, the adjutant of Combat Logistics Regiment 2, 2nd Marine Logistics Group, speaks to the Marines and sailors of CLR-2 after an award ceremony aboard Camp LeJeune, NC, December 11, 2012. Reis received the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his exceptional situational awareness and immediate action while responding to a disturbance at a nearby barracks.

FIVE YEAR WHIPPLE-VERSARY!

TODAY is THE DAY! It will ALWAYS be a monumental milestone of yet another life-changing experience for me. I am FIVE YEARS post-Whipple procedure today. I am honored and blessed to be able to say that I am a Whipple survivor. While it's not the life I would have chosen for myself (it is a horrendous surgery to have and then live your new life with), but the God who loves me and created me felt me worthy of this endeavor. EVERY DAY is a blessing b/c I get to spend it on this side of eternity living life with my family and friends, watching my kids grow up, parenting them and being a wife to my Handsome Warrior of Marines. I get to have relationships with others and share my experience with those who are going through colon or Whipple surgery. I enjoy living the life God has given me and doing it ALL for His glory. I am one BLESSED woman! ♥

The Whipple Procedure (aka pancreaticoduodenectomy) is the worst surgery to ever have (even worse than something like open-heart) and is most commonly given to people who have pancreatic cancer. It used to have a very low survival rate...most people would end up dying from the procedure or complications from the surgery. I am blessed to not have had pancreatic cancer & thankful that I had a doctor who was able to be proactive so that I'm still here today. In my case, I had a "Classic Whipple" and lost 5% of my stomach (which included my pyloric valve), my entire duodenum (1st 12-18 inches of your small intestines which absorbs most of the vitamins and nutrients your body needs), my gall bladder (the gall bladder duct plugs into the duodenum and if they just hooked the gall bladder straight back to my small intestines, I'd be back in 6-12 months to have it removed anyway because of chronic gall stones), my pancreatic duct (where the pancreas plugs into the duodenum), and the tip of my pancreas (because it had become hardened or something like that because I'd evidently been having attacks of pancreatitis but didn't know it).  Then they cut a hole in the pancreas so they can pull what's left of the small intestine through it so it can still do it's job. They then hook up what's left of the small intestines to the remainder of the stomach, and BAM, there you go...you get a new life which a whole new learning curve and finding the new normal in life which often changes. Right there, that's at least 6 surgeries right there plus a lot of other things that have to do with rerouting blood vessels and all kinds of crazy things like that. (The operation report is like SEVEN pages long.) THEN you get to spend a day or so in ICU so they can closely monitor you, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. If you want to see more info and get a real education on the GI system and anatomy, you can check out the following links:  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancreaticoduodenectomywww.surgery.usc.edu/divisions/tumor/pancreasdiseases/web%20pages/pancreas%20resection/whipple%20operation.html
www.pancan.org/section_facing_pancreatic_cancer/learn_about_pan_cancer/treatment/surgery/Whipple_procedure.php


I lost 20lbs in less than a month when I didn't have the 20lbs to lose. Thankfully, I never went below 100lbs...just barely hung on b/c that would have created a whole bunch of new issues. Every day was a struggle, but I was able to keep my focus on Christ, and He enabled me to get through each moment as it came and has used it to make me who I am.

Kids' Scopes at ECU

After spending most of the day yesterday introducing the kiddos to Go-lytely which is anything but going lightly, we all survived their nasty tasting experience.  This morning at Zero-dark-thirty, the kids and I went to Greenville because their double scopes were scheduled with their new peds gastro, Dr Folashade Jose (pronounced like “Jo-say”) and the colon-rectal surgeon, Dr Mark Manwaring.  Dr Jose wanted him present so that he could also have a good 1^st hand view of what’s going on in their guts with FAP.

Since Matt was busy with more pre-deployment work ups, I got to go solo.  Well, on the way to Greenville at 0400, something happened to me that I managed to avoid both times in Quantico (6mos and 5yrs) and 3yrs in Cherry Point.  I was coming around a bend in the road on 258. It was dark and slightly foggy…well, because it was 0400 in the morning and it’s supposed to be dark.  Anyway, I saw the outline of an adult deer so I slowed down to give it a chance to finish crossing, but then, out of nowhere, her baby came running across after her and ran right into my van!!  It was such a dark 2-laned section of the trip that I didn’t even stop to inspect our car…I was concerned that someone might come behind us and accidently hit the van.  My heart was so heavy for that poor baby deer, and I certainly did NOT tell my Squirrelly Girly about what happened…thankfully, she was watching a movie on DVD.  I kept praying and asking the Lord to let that poor baby deer survive unscathed.  Amazingly, there was no damage to the van, and when we were coming back, we didn't see a deer carcass on the road so hopefully that means the deer was OK and not hurt.

We arrived at the Women and Children portion of Vidant Medical Center in one piece and without anyone having to stop for a potty break along the way.  I was thankful that the fabulous staff gave the kids beds next to one another in pre-op so I didn’t have to split my time running back and forth between them.  I’m also so thankful for my friend, Jodi Schlather, who made the 2-hour trip to Greenville to help me for an hour or so when I had 1 in pre-op and the other in post-op, and then she turned around to make the 2-hour trip back to Jax.  Now, THAT is a dedicated friend and such a BLESSING to have her as my Sister-in-the-Lord AND -the-Corps!

This portion of Vidant Medical Center was AH-MAY-ZING!  The staff was phenomenal.  The kids not only SURVIVED their colonoscopy prep yesterday but they also survived their IVs, anesthesia and both scopes today!  They were amazing sports and such troopers. The medical staff was giving them complements galore…especially since there are, evidently, adults who do not do as well as my 2 did! This should make them set for at least a year before having to repeat this experience and at least 2 yrs before having any type of surgery. YAY!

We made the long trip back home…after getting them some real food and making several potty stops on the way home.  They were both tucked in bed by 7:30, and I'm getting ready to go to bed now so we can all recover from sleep deprivation.

They are scheduled for a follow up with Dr Manwaring and also Dr Jose in 6 weeks…and Dad will be joining us so he can FINALLY meet their fabulous docs!

EGD with Gastro in Wilmington

Yesterday, I had a WILD, CRAZY, and EXCITING HOT DATE with my hubby who took me to Wilmington to have my 20+ endoscopy.  I was hoping and praying that this new gastro would be able to remove ALL of the adenomatous polyps (pre-cancerous growths) that he saw in my stomach along with whatever else he might have found in my upper GI tract. HOWEVER, that was NOT the case. 

Going into the EGD (a specific type of endoscope), I wasn’t too sure about having him as my doctor.  He just didn’t give me any warm and fuzzy feeling at my first appointment and seemed to act like he knew better than I.  Well, for this appointment, I had the added benefit of having my hubby with me to observe the interaction and give me feedback.
Going into the scope, I reminded him about Dr Brown’s concern regarding that 1 area in my stomach where tubular adenomas have recently turned up as well as the beginning signs of dysplasia.  At this point, I don’t remember his response because the “happy juice” was kicking in.  I think the nurse put the hard, plastic circle thingy in my mouth to start the scope.

I am very thankful that I was able to have that Handsome Man of Mine around as a witness for when I came to and was able to talk to the doctor about the scope.  Matt said I had a very coherent conversation with the gastro.  I pressed him for specific info about my area of concern as well as about previous problems with ulceration and swelling at my GJ (Gastro-Jejunum) anastamosis site (where Dr Cameron reconnect my stomach to my small intestines).  Matt said when I brought it up, he blew me off and changed the subject.  But, it seems that I was a persistent little patient because I kept bringing up the subject…even going so far as to pull out the 2-inch thick binder out to show him pictures from previous scopes.  He finally told me that my stomach was just riddled with polyps and that whether they were hyperplastic (fake) or adenomatous (real…pre-cancerous) was beside the point because “there were too many of them” because my stomach “was carpeted with them” and that, regardless of the quantity, it didn’t really matter “because adenomas NEVER grow there” so he wasn’t really concerned about it.  He wanted to move on to the next subject, but, evidently, I wouldn’t let it go because this is MY HEALTH and MY LIFE…NOT HIS.  Matt said at this point, I became even more animated and tenacious as I strongly told him that it DOES happen because I have pathology reports to prove it for both me AND my 11yr old daughter.   As I tried to show him the binder, he (the doctor) rolled his eyes at me and changed the subject.

Now that I'm home and have my memory back and am looking over my copies of the scope, he only gave me a total of 4 pictures...NONE of them are of my stomach at all.  There's 1 of the esophagus (which is a non-issue), 2 of the jejunum, and 1 of the GJ anastamosis (which looked good this time).  That's…it.  NO shots of my stomach at all, whatsoever.  I’ve been having an EGD at least once a year since 1994 (or maybe 1995), and I have NEVER not gotten pictures of my stomach…that includes the awful gastro that I saw in New Bern who told me I didn't need to be scoped at all but agreed to do it two times because I wasn't taking "no" for an answer.  At least he gave me shots of my stomach & anastamosis site, AND, compared to the Wilmington doc, the New Bern doc was fabulous.  His actions were unbelievable and so unprofessional!  Guess who will NOT be going back to him.  I know that there are lots of “bonuses” to living with FAP; HOWEVER, seeing a bad doctor is NOT one of them!  Needless to say, I will NOT be going back to him…E-V-E-R!

I know I don't usually vent like this on here so I want to take a moment to say just how thankful I am for those who pray to the Lord for me...family and friends, but I am especially thankful today for my fellow sisters-in-Christ who went before the throne to pray to our Father on my behalf.  I also want to say that I know that no matter the outcome, HE is in control, and He does have a plan. I’m especially thankful for the assurance I have of an eternity in Heaven with Him...along with a new, disease-free body.

Update:  Sometimes, I never know how others see me or what God uses in me to speak to others.  A fellow gutless brother who is really "triple family" because he is also the cousin of my BFF, Caroline, as well as my brother-in-Christ, posted the following on my FB wall:  "Steph, You are Hupernikao--which is Hebrew for 'more than a conquerer' which is what YOU are, Strength and Honor, my friend."  Well, often times, that is soooo NOT how I see myself.  I am thankful for times like this when God gives me a glimpse of the potential He sees in me.  I could not be silent about this issue if I wanted to, but reading stuff like this encourages me to keep sharing my story about living with FAP and to continue encouraging and helping others who are going through similar situations.

To God be the glory!

First Visit to Kids' New Gastro at ECU in Greenville

Today, the kids & I met their new gastro in Greenville...Dr Folashade Jose.  It was an all-day affair (2+ hour ride there & back plus the new patient appointment for 2 kids), but I just have to say that I...LOVED...her.  I wish she could be MY doctor.  She was friendly with both the kids & me, very thorough with the questions concerning each child, and talked to them as well as to me.  Both she and a pediatrician examined each of my kiddos as well.  She is in agreement with Dr Brown (previous gastro in NOVA) & is leaning towards giving them each an IRA (ileo-rectal anastamosis) & also recommends waiting until they're a little older before doing the surgery.  She would like to do both the upper and lower scopes on them but would also like to have the colon-rectal surgeon present at their scopes so he can see their GI system firsthand in order to observe any areas of question/concern with his own eyes instead of looking at the photos she takes and wishing he'd have had a particular view.  It makes sense to me.  So, because of this, we will need to work around his schedule, but she is hoping to do it in the next couple of months.

Gastro in Wilmington

I met what I'm hoping will be my new gastroenterologist today, down in Wilmington.  His office staff was nice and friendly, but I'm not so sure about him.  He seemed to be a "know-it-all" type of doctor who didn't even bother to listen to my abdomen or poke and prod like all of the other gastros I've seen in my life.  He wasn't very interested in listening to my history and was a little dismissive when I told him about my concerns regarding the adenomatous polyps in my stomach because, in his words, "That doesn't happen."

I don't want to be one of "those" patients, but even though I do not have medical school training, I do have life-experience-training with FAP, and "THAT" does happen, and more specifically, it has happened to me...I have the photos and pathology reports to prove it.

I have several relatives in the medical field, and one of my cousins said that if a health care professional (doctor, nurse practitioner, physician's assistant, etc) does not bother to touch and examine you during an appointment, that's a sign that he has no interest in remembering you as a person...you're nothing more than "another patient" to him...if even that much.

Right now, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.  Maybe he was just having a bad day so I call it "quits" just yet.  I have an EGD scheduled for October so I'll see what happens then.  I sure do hope he was having an "off-day".

One additional note:  Leave it to me to have a gastro appointment for me the day before my birthday and for the kids the day after so I can't even relax and enjoy the day.

Last Appointment with Dr Brown Before PCSing

Today was our last appointment with Dr Brown before we move.  The verdict for the kids is as follows:
1.  Cae is good for 6-12 months on both scopes.
2.  Cas needs to have another EGD in 3 months and a colonoscopy in 6 months.
3.  He is not recommending either of them for colon surgery just yet...he'd like to let them have their colons for as long as possible.
4.  Dr Brown would like to talk to our next gastroenterologists to personally give information relating to our cases...especially mine since he's seen me for the past 5 years.

So, that's how things stand for right now.  Of course, any of this can change with the next doctor or with the next scope...especially if there is an explosion of adenomatous polyps.

Thanks for the continued prayers.

Kids' Double Scopes at Potomac Sentara

Pre-scope post:  We're getting ready to go for scopes squared, squared (endo and colon for the 1st "squared" on both of my kiddos for the 2nd "squared"). These 2 will have a very LONG ROAD ahead of them because they're already "burned out on Jell-o!"  Poor guys...I know that feeling, but I didn't get it after 2 rounds of having to eat it instead of regular food.  I’m hungry for them.

Post-scope post:  We found out in October that they BOTH have the same pre-cancerous colon disease that I have. They had an initial colonoscopy in December so the doc wanted to do another one in 6mos for a comparison, and then we decided to add the endoscopy as well in order to have a baseline on the polyps at both ends. I'll get the biopsy results at a follow up appointment when we'll also discuss all aspects of today's findings...especially Dr Brown and Matthew are interested in trying to put off colon removal as long as possible for them. They both did fabulously well.  I am thankful for all the love and prayers.

Prep-Day for Kids' Scopes

Today was the colonoscopy prep day for both kids.  I had a lot of “fun” reminding them about the medical definition of “clear liquids” and then making them drink the “junk”. Thankfully, they had "Suprep" which is only 8ozs tonight and 8ozs tomorrow morning, taken in 2 oz increments...AND we could mix it with thawed freeze pops for flavoring as long as what was used didn't have red or blue in them.

This was so "crazy", too because it reminded me of when I was 12 and received my first colonoscopy.  There was no junk to drink back then...not Suprep and especially not "Go-lyely" (which makes you go anyway BUT lightly). In the space of a few weeks, I had a rigid sigmoidoscopy in my doc's office, a barium enema at a lab, and then finally a colonoscopy.  I remember having to take clear liquids for THREE days for each of these...plus when I had my colon surgery. I survived it all...especially the barium enema series which required me to drink that chalky stuff in addition to having it added in at the other end. Somewhere along the line, I also remember drinking a bottle of magnesium citrate for something, too. YUCK!!  Thankfully, it wasn’t until after Matt and I were married that I got to experience Go-lytely, and since I already had most of my colon removed by then, I had to drink less than 1/2 of it which was bad enough...but I did survive.

They had a combined total of 16ozs of bowel-emptying liquid to drink, and now, they're DONE! AND despite some initial drama about drinking it, none if has come back up...well, at least not yet. Now, we get to repeat this step at 5am.  My poor kiddos...I cannot imagine being woken up at such an early hour to drink this stuff...but at least it smells better than some of the junk I had to drink when I was their ages.

As of right now, I can honestly say that my kids are not full of xxit AND that for the first time in a LONG while, my #2's #s does not stink!  Now that may be a little bit TMI, but I have learned that this is all just a part of life so either you take what you have and go with it and live it to the full or you give up living which means you might as well be dead. Now, while living a “gutless life” isn’t always fun or easy, I am blessed to be alive and to have avoided gastrointestinal cancer so far. I’m also thankful for continued advances in medical technology that will enable my kids to have it even easier than I did.

Anyway, tomorrow will be their 2nd round for colonoscopies (their 1st was back in December when they didn’t need to drink any junk) but only their 1st for endoscopy.  This will give us and Dr Brown a chance to compare their base line scopes to the one today and will establish a baseline for the upper.

So for anyone who's reading this, I appreciate your prayers and encouragement because I know that WE will ALL NEED it at FIVE-AM when they need to wake up and drinking the 2nd dose of stuff...hopefully, they won't have to drink much because they already have clear returns.

As my old colon-rectal surgeon used to say, "Bottoms up & say 'Ahhh!'"

Jane Wayne Day

OK…this post has nothing to do with a procedure or a doctor’s appointment, but it does have a lot to do with living with FAP.  Right now, TODAY, I am getting my Warrior Wife gear on to head out to TBS this morning where I will have the privilege of experiencing my FIRST ever Jane Wayne Day.  I get to share it with some of the BEST Warrior Wives ever…Marianne Cecchini, Liz Boring, Ruthie Ruppert, and Teri Twigg!  (I will be missing some of my other FAVORITE Warrior Wives who couldn’t join us:  Emily Urquidez, Sherry Hietpas, Of course, it’s raining, but I can’t wait!!

Yes…it is really true…in all of the years that Matt has been in the Corps, this is really, truly my FIRST Jane Wayne Day EVER!  There was a Jane Wayne Day during TBS, but I was pregnant with Cassidy and still recovering from j-pouch surgery.  There was no way that I could picture myself going at that point in my life…too many uncontrolled variables for me.

At Heath's office waiting to get started on our adventure

POST JWD UPDATE:  IT…WAS…A…BLAST!!  What an experience!  It was way more than a typical Jane Wayne Day because today was the LIVE trial run for tomorrow’s Marine Day where members of Congress come out to see what the Marine Corps does.  There were a lot of extra things available to experience…way bigger than Jane Wayne, for sure.  Now, after experiencing it, I have to admit that I do not envy my husband’s Marine Corps career…not one bit!  All of that gear was H-E-A-V-Y!!  If I could have shot the different guns and weapons without the bullet proof vest and heavy Kevlar helmet, it would have been a lot easier, but for (understandable) safety reasons, that was not allowed.  It made for a very awkward experience.  I do not know how those Marines do it!

Now, onto the living with FAP portion of this experience:  There were LOTS of port-a-potties available, but I didn’t need to use one except to empty my bladder.  YAY!  What a success!!  11 years ago, I could not have even dreamed that a day like this would EVER happen to me.  It was unfathomable that I could or even would go somewhere like this.  All I can say is, “PRAISE THE LORD!  Thank you for the improvements along the way and for bringing me to this place where I can enjoy myself on an outing like this.”

Mega thanks to Ruthie and her hubby, Heath, for taking photos for us.  I ♥ these ladies and the Marine Corps!

Shooting a BIG gun

All geared up & ready to go

Warrior Wives with their guides at the end of the day

Double Scopes for Me

My scopes went well today.  The worst part of the whole day (besides not being able to eat) was the sore throat from the 30+ minutes of the endoscopy.  I had no polyps in my j-pouch so I don’t need to repeat that one for another year. I had 10 adenomatous (pre-cancerous) polyps in stomach which were removed and sent for biopsy.  The results will be ready in a couple of weeks.

Because of the adenomatous polyps in my stomach, Dr Brown recommended that I have a repeat endoscopy/EGD in 3-6 months.  Since we’re moving this summer, I’ll have to wait until after the move and talk to the new doctor at LeJeune.

I was able to talk to him and got him to agree to doing an endoscopy on the kiddos when they go for their colonoscopy at the end of May.  This will give us a baseline for each of them and also make sure there are no problems in that area yet. I know of a few people whose young children already have adenomatous polyps in the stomach and duodenum which is not good at all.  I want to be smart and catch it early if they have it…it’s always best to be proactive with FAP!!!

Thanks for the prayers and thanks to Marianne for being my chauffeur today.

Kids Say the CRAZIEST Things

This morning, I reminded my kiddos that I was having both of my scopes tomorrow so I was having clear liquids today and wasn’t going to cook...leftovers for them. We proceeded to have yet another conversation on what constituted “clear liquids”.  Of course, Caelan had to push the limits by asking if vodka was a clear liquid. I didn’t know if that would be allowable and wise, but he said that if it was, he would drink that for his next scope in May because it would help the prescription stuff he needs to drink go down better, AND it would make him goofy enough that he wouldn’t need to be sedated. [Ruthie Ruppert, how’s that for your “Crazy Boy”!!]  Anyway, I’m thinking that if vodka is a clear liquid that maybe I could have a glass of wine for “dinner” tonight.

Facebook comment from my dear, sweet friend, Ruthie:  “I need to have a talk with that boy and expose him to a wider range of “clear liquids...such as RUM!!! Cruzan Rum from US Virgin Islands for example, is a wonderful clear liquid. As I was reading your post I literally have wet eyes from cracking up! I can totally hear him! By the way, “Reis”ling for you prior to your next scope!  Good luck today, friend. Wish you didn’t have to go through it but this experience does allow you to have a testimony to help others. You are a blessing to many. Prayers that you don’t have too much discomfort and the scoping goes well.”