August 21, 2012 – Finally an Update

Yes I know, it has been a while and since it has been a while I thought I would bring you up to date.  It has been an interesting few months, digestive tract speaking.  The current theory and I can only call it a theory since we have been through a few theories so far, is that her ‘digestive issues’ are due to the most recent chemo treatments for her lymphoma and amyloid in her digestive tract.  We somehow missed that she had a very, small mal-absorption issue when she was evaluated for her heart transplant.  Well that has gotten worse, specifically a normal poop has less than 7 grams of fat in it, interesting huh. Well her poop has 35 grams of fat in it.  How would you like to be the person who figures that out, talk about a stinky job!

 

Well after many different things to try including a supplement of a pancreatic enzyme, this was the only thing that worked.  The only thing that seems to be working is to take 6 Imodium a day, 2 before each meal. That seems to hold her for about 6 days then a day of a few issues then back to working.  For clarification, by saying 'hold her' I do not mean constipation. All things considered this is pretty great!

 

The reason for all this, from what I can tell, is that the amyloid which is not new and the chemo has pissed off (medical expression) her digestive tract.  Soon we go back up to ‘The Great White North’ for a visit and we should get some more answers.  Apparently from what we have been told her digestive tract will not calm down.  Now I am not a doctor but I would think that it should settle down after a while since things are being controlled and there is no new amyloid.  Everyone agrees that there is no new amyloid.  Logic would lead me to think that the farther away from the chemo the better it should get.  But then again I am the one who suggested a BIG cork to solve the problem so what do I know.  By the way I was the only one who thought the BIG cork was a good idea; some people have no sense of humor.

 

That is all we have for now, as Tigger says, TTFN.