Re: AN Idea from

[Guest guest]

Hey - great idea. Let me be one to just jump on in and share my

story. for those of you who have been around awhile, I apologize for

the repetition. For those of you who are newer or have had surgery

recently, I hope that my story will help you come to terms with the

path you are facing.

I started having symptoms at age 12 and was diagnosed in 1983 at the

age of 15. I had an open heller in 1989 at age 20 (they only did them

openly then - it was the dark ages)lol. I have had 2 dilations since,

the last one about 10 years ago.

I eat most everything I want - let's see lunch today was left over pork

chop, steamed carrots (can't eat them raw) and corn bread. Of course-

as always, I drink a large glass of water with ALL of my meals. If I

don't have water around - I don't eat - not even a bite of anything.

I will take one protonix tonight and sleep with a wedge under my

mattress. I have mild spasms probably about 1 or 2 times a month, I've

learned how to get rid of them pretty quickly. I have 'doozy' spasms

probably 3-4 times a year - that sucks. I can swallow well about 90% of

the time, I can eat about 90% of what I want. No one knows I have A

unless I tell them. I have not sat near bathrooms in a restaurant

(other than when I was pregnant) in years.

I have barium swallows and scopes about every other year. I want to

make sure to keep an eye on things. My last one was last spring and the

radiologist said that in his experience, my E was stretched out to

about a 4 on a scale of 10 - not bad after so long. Let's hope it stays

that way.

It may seem daunting at first when you realize and come to accept that

your condition is chronic but let me tell you, you just get used to it

and life is really pretty normal. I have a house, kids, a job, 1 dog, 2

cats, a husband and not much of a social life lately!! lol

My advice to everyone, long timers and newbies, pre-ops and post-ops is

to be proactive. No one is going to take care of you - like you. Don't

go along thinking you're 'managing' and that's OK. If you can't say

right now 'life is good' regarding your A - then you need to do

something. Waiting will only make it all worse.

Hope this helps someone, somewhere.

for many years now, Happy Swallowing!

- in Va.

>

> We are always saying how bad things are An at times they are

> We ask for help and ideas and that's good I do my share of it But

why don

> t we post the good days too??? Hell even I have some good ones

Maybe we

> can look at the good times good days more the good moments more .....

> Remember there are some who have moved on off the group when things

got

> better Hey we should always stick together and give new ones a

boast

> Am I making sense ???? Hey stop and smell the roses

>