What’s Next?
I know it’s been a while since I’ve last written. And my last post was kinda depressing. I was going through a lot. Well I finally went back to work on May 1st (after recovering from a broken foot, gallbladder removal, and septic bursitis) and I was so excited. It was great to see everyone again and have a purpose to my day. Structure and people are good. Despite being exhausting, I loved it.
And then came Mother’s Day. I went to fix an early lunch so I could go shopping and completely twisted my OTHER ankle going down the step from the kitchen to the dining room. What are the chances, right? Actually, not all that unlikely given my Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome diagnosis. EDS is a connective tissue disorder. I have the hyper mobility type, which means I am prone to injuries such as this. I elevated and iced all day Sunday and Monday and saw the orthopedist on Tuesday. He put me in a boot, put me out of work for 2 weeks, and ordered an MRI. I had the MRI yesterday and actually got the results pretty quickly. Unfortunately I don’t see the orthopedist again until Tuesday to see what kind of treatment I’m in for. Meanwhile I’m Googling the MRI findings and trying not to get ahead of myself. Good luck, am I right?
On Wednesday I finally had the follow up with my GI doctor to review my endoscopy…which I had in DECEMBER. Yes, 5 months later and we’re going over the biopsy results and my symptoms, etc. I love her. She is great. Well worth the wait. Very attentive and proactive and thorough. She diagnosed me with EoE, which is eosinophilic esophagitis. It’s basically an allergic reaction that happens in your esophagus. There are 6 types of foods that could be the culprit: wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, nuts/seeds, and seafood/shellfish. The treatment is an elimination diet. Basically you cut everything out and then slowly add foods back in until you figure out which food(s) trigger an episode. There’s also a version where you start out eliminating 2 of the foods (dairy and wheat) and then move on the 4 of the foods, and then move onto all 6. Due to my eating disorder, I’m sure they’ll want to do the progressive version. I see my dietitian next week, so we’ll have plenty to talk about.
I can tell that I’m in a good place with my eating disorder recovery. The eating disorder would LOVE the EoE diagnosis. A really great reason to cut out foods and restrict like crazy. But I’m more upset than excited. I keep thinking of all the yummy foods I can no longer eat. This SUCKS. But so does feeling like crap. So I’m happy we have some sort of diagnosis and treatment plan, but I’m bummed it means no longer eating some of my favorite foods.
Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome and EoE have changed my life this week. And not in a good way. It’s easy to lay on the couch and utter the words “why me?” Sometimes I feel sorry for myself. I feel like I’ve had a really long string of bad luck. Between injuries and illnesses, I’ve had a rough 5 months. I just can’t win. But then I remember how lucky I am to have access to care and treatment. And my amazing family. And my adorable pets. And my supportive friends. I remember the things that make me smile. That having answers, even if they’re not great, is better than the unknown. At least there’s something to work towards, right? And definitely something to live for.
So I’ll live and fight another day.
