Quilting with disabilities

[Judith T.]

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[Annette R.]

I feel a little like the person who has to one up everybody when it comes to a problem but I have had the restricted swallowing issue for about fifteen years. Again it is one you don't talk about because of the embarrassment of saying you cannot swallow your food. But I learned my lesson the hard way. After a bleeding ulcer problem, the doctor prescribed a fiber medication which was called Perdiem and not to insult the manufacturer it looked like brown mouse turds and had to be taken with water and in a certain manner. Welll one day even thought I did it exactly the way I had numerous times before, the medication stuck in my throat and suddenly I could not swallow (not even my own saliva). Because we were traveling in the motorhome we drove to a town nearby where there was a hospital. I was walking, talking and breathing so was not considered an emergency. After about three hours and a bunch of tests the doctors in this small town hospital decided to send me to one about 35 miles away. So now we are back to square one and there the people in emergency couldn't see that I was an emergency so I went to the bottom of the triage list. Finally at about 5:00 p.m. (the problem began about 6:00 a.m.) I finally got into an examining room in the second hospital. By this time, I had been without anything to eat or drink and not even swallowing my own saliva for 11 hours the doctors decided it was safe to do an endoscopy without further preparation. I have had that test often enough now that I know it is not painful or anything awful - I usually sleep right through it.

This time the dr. did a balloon expansion of my esophagus and then about two months later did it another time. It was like a miracle. I was able to eat items such as steak for the first time in years without the fear that it might stick. That procedure lasted me for almost five years and I needed to have it done again. this time I went gladly knowing that a few more years of relief were ahead. I am now nine years since the first procedure and am beginning to get symptoms so know that a third round of dilation is probably in the cards soon. But I know that it will give me relief and so it is worth it.

So for those of you who have the intermittent swallowing, choking problem, RUN DON'T WALK TO YOUR GASTROENTEROLIGIST AND ASK IF THE BALLOON DILATION IS IN ORDER AND FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE DESCRIBE YOUR SWALLOWING PROBLEMS TO HIM OR HER IN FULL DETAIL. DON'T MIMIMIZE THIS TIME. IT IS WORTH IT TO GET THE PROCEDURE AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO DO IT UNLESS YOU REALLY HAVE A PROBLEM.

If you read my earlier post, I didn't even mention the swallowing issue in my list of problems. That is because I forget about it most of the time now. I am that much improved even though it may be time to have it done again. Good luck to each of you who have this and don't wait until you have a day like mine. Get it done sooner rather than later.

Ann who understands the joy of swallowing with ease.

[Annette R.]

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[Eileen K.]

I just hurt this morning. It's hard to get going. I wish there were a support group nearby. DH tries but he's so darn healthy, he just doesn't understand.

[Eileen K.]

Eileen, I know what you mean. My husband won't take medicine and he's extremely healthy. He doesn't have a clue about constant pain.

You're right about the support group, but I wouldn't feel like going!!
I'm on my way out the door to still another dr. appt., but what I really want to do is go back to bed.

This group will be our support group. There are people here who understand. That means a lot.

Well, got to go.

Everybody have a great day and stay warm, Sharon

[Eileen K.]

Sharon,
I went back and reread your original post. Have you started quilting again? I looked at your profile and you have a couple of beautiful convergence quilts. Have you have a chance to quilts them yet?
Eileen Keane, NY

[Eileen K.]

I started reading this thread again when the talk of sciatic pain came up (and yes - I admit to being a flamingo too), but now you all have me thinking. I have over the last 7 or 8 years had a steady increase in aches and pains. Up till now I have chalked this up to simple aging, not being more careful to stretch properly in my teens and early 20's when I did flag corps, and the riggers of having 3 children in less than 5 years and the subsuqent chaising of said kids all over creation. In the last 2 years my pain has become more pronounced and I started thinking "ok, here comes my date with Arthur..." because it runs in the family. I was diagnosed with acid reflux last year when I went in for chest pain that would not go away. I also had a problem where I had pills I was taking getting painfully stuck for a while there just before the diagnosis. I also am being treated for chronic migranes. I read about all of you here with fibromyalgia and frankly it is like I am reading about myself!!! Is this something that you would see emerge in your 30's though?? I did a little reading and read about the sensitive spots and found that in fact I have several of them, especially the ones down the back and inside the knees and elbows. Yikes! guess I had better talk to the doctor.

[Judith T.]

I say Amen to what Snowplow said. If you have swallowing difficulties, get the endoscopy done. No eating 8 hours before the procedure, they give you a shot and you are asleep and when you wake up, it is all over and there is no pain. And you can swallow again without choking. I worried and worried over it because I can remember years ago my mother having it done and she was awake and there was no way I was going to have that done to me. And if you are awake at all through the procedure, they will give you a drug at the end that wipes away the memory. It has been about 2 years for me now, and since it looks like it might happen again but might not because I have no more acid reflux to bring on the scarring and the narrowing of the esophagus. It is embarrassing to be sitting at a restaurant eating and all of a sudden you start choking and have to be excused. So, get it done, it's a piece o' cake!

[Judith T.]

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[Eileen K.]

I'm lost-what's DDD?
Eileen Keane, NY

[Eileen K.]

I had c tunnle surgry on my right hand in early Nov and I am going to have left hand done on the 19 of Dec I also have Lupus and had gastrick bypass in Jan and have loss 115 lbs so far

[Eileen K.]

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[Eileen K.]

Thanks, I just couldn't think what it was ops: ops: But I don't have DDD, my problem was from an injury at work. So far, I don't have any arthritis. But I'm sure it's down the road-my Mom has it and isn't it hereditary?
I have to stop obsessing about the FM, I'm losing too much time here on the 'puter.
Eileen Keane, NY

[Eileen K.]

I apologize if I came off rude in my last post. My brain is fried with all the information I've been trying to absorb.
Is anyone here a card carrying, dues paying member of the National Fibromyalgia Ass'n?
Eileen Keane, NY

[Eileen K.]

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