For about twenty years I have had a ‘condition’. When I ate certain foods (generally rice or raw carrots) I had some sort of spasm at the bottom of my esophagus/top of my stomach. Extremely painful and sometimes including nausea. Drinking water, talking, or just about anything – made it worse. I would just have to wait it out. One time, it happened at work and the whole office freaked out so much that they called an ambulance. Of course, by the time the doctor saw me there was nothing going on and they treated me like a hysterical woman.

About a year ago, it started happening more often. I had Kaiser, at the time, so did nothing about it. When I got new insurance and found a wonderful doctor who I trust – I mentioned it to her. She sent me for an Esophogram. That’s where they make me drink the barium shake and take pictures as it is going down. This showed something a little odd at the bottom of my esophagus and a small hiatal hernia. She referred me to a GI doctor who ordered an endoscopy, to check out the weirdness at the bottom of my esophagus and see if he could find out what is causing the weird symptoms I experience.

Because the endoscopy is considered a surgical procedure, I had to stop taking my NSAID five days before. After the procedure the doc told me to stay off the NSAID for at least 30 days because I had an esophageal ulcer. He also started me on a prescription version of Prilosec. So all my joints have been complaining like crazy about the lack of an anti-inflammatory, but I know I’m doing the right thing cuz ulcers are bad. Because I didn’t have actual ulcer symptoms, there was no way to know if everything was working. So . . . I had to have a second endoscopy. I haven’t gotten the results but saw so photos in my file. Looks like the ulcer is gone. There is a polyp which was biopsied. I was supposed to call the doctor, this week, and schedule something in a couple of weeks when the biopsy results are in.

So, this is the part that has me anxious as hell and needing to write. I got a call this afternoon, from the doctor’s office (GI) and the doctor would like to see me to discuss results. Kinda normal, so far. I state that I wish to be seen in the San Pablo Office and pull out my September calendar. She says, “Are you available tomorrow morning?” It takes weeks (sometimes 4-5) to get an appointment in the San Pablo Office. Why are they making time for me? What is the worst thing that could happen? Well, he could tell me I have cancer. I did smoke for years. I’m nervous.

They did a biopsy on the first endoscopy, too. I had to keep calling and calling to get the results – and then I had to wait two weeks to get an appointment in the Berkeley office. Why is this time so different?

I hadn’t planned on this being my first blog post, but here it is. Still working on the website and have lots of ideas I want to blog about.