>----- Original Message -----
From: "Amy" <adkramer@mediaone.net>
To: "Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS"
<adhesions@mail.medispecialty.com>
Sent: Monday, July 09, 2001 3:21 PM
Subject: Update on Megan
> Megan has been admitted to the hospital. She's scheduled for an
> UGI/SBFT with "enteroclysis" tomorrow.. which means that instead of
> swallowing the barium, they will insert a catheter down through her
> esophagus and into her duodenum, inflate it and put in the contrast that
> way. It will be more uncomfortable/painful for her, but the surgeon and
> GI feel that they will get a better picture of what is going on in her
> insestines that way vs. the standard barium swallow.
>
> Surgeon is still reluctant to do surgery *just* for adhesions, and is
> basially looking for a clear reason to operate. He also needs to know,
> if he does go in there, exactly what area of intestine he will be
> targeting, rather than having to manipulate and look at all of it and
> thus increasing the chance of adhesions throughout the intestine as
> before. Laproscopy is NOT an option for her due to the extent of her
> adhesions, he wouldn't even be able to get the scope through. Long
> term, they are talking giving her a port-o-cath for better IV access,
> especially if she won't be eating for awhile. She's pretty down but is
> being a trooper. Still on only Ultram for pain, again, reluctant to
> give narcotics due to the narcotic bowel syndrome she developed before.
> Still, he paints a pretty grim picture of the future for her... says it
> is likely she will have to live with pain from adhesions most of her
> life, and will have to learn to deal with it. Plan is to create a team
> of pain management specialist, gi, surgeon, and nutritionist to
> coordinate her care, long-term.
>
> Damn this disease (crohns) and adhesions.
>