(Rob is writing this post)
I've been having a problem for the last two and a half years. It began in the fall of 05 when I was unable to hold food down, and had the most painful heartburn imaginable. After a month or so of this I went to the Dr. He had me drink an absolutely awful lemon flavored fizzy drink, then they took an xray of my stomach. It turned out that I had what was called a herniated esophagus. The solution was to put me on prilosec forever. Well that worked fine for a time, then two months ago my heartburn came back even worse. I went back to the Dr again and he said he wanted me to get an endoscopy, which is where they heavily sedate me and then run a camera down my throat to see what is playing havoc with my stomach. While I was there one of the nurses was getting me ready for my IV, when all of the sudden I hear her say "oops!" I looked over and said, "Waddaya mean 'oops!'"? It turned out it was harmless, and she had simply forgotten to seal off my IV tube and fluid went everywhere.
Well anyway, they knock me out, do their thing, and I wake up a half hour later talking to Aly in my recovery room. Well the Dr comes in and describes me as a "prilosec failure". He shows me the pictures of my "hyena" (Sixteen Candles humor for all you 80's kids), then shows me several new ulcers that are forming. Then the awful part came into play. He began to list all of the foods I am no longer allowed to eat. He said I am only allowed to eat water and paper! No, not exactly, but it might as well have been. From now on, until the day I die, I am to double my daily dose of prilosec, and I am off limits from the following foods indefinitely: Junk food, fried food, spicy food, sugar and soda. Within one afternoon I have been involuntarily turned into a health food nut! No more ethnic food! No more fish and chips! No more Doritos! No more Krispy Cremes! No more McDonald's cheeseburgers! I've been forced to go from Templeton the Rat to a Granola!!!
I had to explain to my wife that after 34 years I am having to part with my first love: food. She says that my view of food is whacked, as food is supposed to be for survival, and not for pleasure. My response was that's hum-bug because if that were the case then the Lord would not have given us taste buds! I guess this is poetic justice, as for years I used to eat whatever I wanted and I referred to vegetarian diets as eating "rabbit food". How fitting that I now have to incorporate many vegetables into my diet in order to compensate for my junk food.
Don't get me wrong, I have never just sat there and ate garbage all day. Most of my food was pretty good. It was just that when I ate the junk food I tended to over do it a bit, and the results were excess baggage. Aly and my sister in law are trying to be positive by telling me how much skinnier I am going to be. I agree and all, but I guess I am just bummed that I am in a situation where I the decision was made for me. But oh well.
So, there's my story. So feel free to refer to me as "Rob the involuntary health nut."
I've been having a problem for the last two and a half years. It began in the fall of 05 when I was unable to hold food down, and had the most painful heartburn imaginable. After a month or so of this I went to the Dr. He had me drink an absolutely awful lemon flavored fizzy drink, then they took an xray of my stomach. It turned out that I had what was called a herniated esophagus. The solution was to put me on prilosec forever. Well that worked fine for a time, then two months ago my heartburn came back even worse. I went back to the Dr again and he said he wanted me to get an endoscopy, which is where they heavily sedate me and then run a camera down my throat to see what is playing havoc with my stomach. While I was there one of the nurses was getting me ready for my IV, when all of the sudden I hear her say "oops!" I looked over and said, "Waddaya mean 'oops!'"? It turned out it was harmless, and she had simply forgotten to seal off my IV tube and fluid went everywhere.
Well anyway, they knock me out, do their thing, and I wake up a half hour later talking to Aly in my recovery room. Well the Dr comes in and describes me as a "prilosec failure". He shows me the pictures of my "hyena" (Sixteen Candles humor for all you 80's kids), then shows me several new ulcers that are forming. Then the awful part came into play. He began to list all of the foods I am no longer allowed to eat. He said I am only allowed to eat water and paper! No, not exactly, but it might as well have been. From now on, until the day I die, I am to double my daily dose of prilosec, and I am off limits from the following foods indefinitely: Junk food, fried food, spicy food, sugar and soda. Within one afternoon I have been involuntarily turned into a health food nut! No more ethnic food! No more fish and chips! No more Doritos! No more Krispy Cremes! No more McDonald's cheeseburgers! I've been forced to go from Templeton the Rat to a Granola!!!
I had to explain to my wife that after 34 years I am having to part with my first love: food. She says that my view of food is whacked, as food is supposed to be for survival, and not for pleasure. My response was that's hum-bug because if that were the case then the Lord would not have given us taste buds! I guess this is poetic justice, as for years I used to eat whatever I wanted and I referred to vegetarian diets as eating "rabbit food". How fitting that I now have to incorporate many vegetables into my diet in order to compensate for my junk food.
Don't get me wrong, I have never just sat there and ate garbage all day. Most of my food was pretty good. It was just that when I ate the junk food I tended to over do it a bit, and the results were excess baggage. Aly and my sister in law are trying to be positive by telling me how much skinnier I am going to be. I agree and all, but I guess I am just bummed that I am in a situation where I the decision was made for me. But oh well.
So, there's my story. So feel free to refer to me as "Rob the involuntary health nut."
The pictures we got from the endoscopy. All the white spots are places where Rob has ulcers forming.
1 comment:
About 10 years ago I had the most hideous heartburn that prilosec didn't touch. I had the endoscopy and ate a lot of bland food. Pretzels were my best friend. Today I can eat anything and I never have heartburn. I never thought this day would come! I took the meds and stuck to the diet and slowly but surely my tummy healed. I hope the best for you and I know the feeling to "mourn" all the yummy indulgences you used to eat. Good luck and I feel for ya Rob!
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