Good Things Can Come From Bad, But I Still Wish Things Could Be Easier.

Kinney had an EGD and colonoscopy today. All I have to say is, "Thank God for Pneumonia!"

Well, I DO hate all of this. It's just so hard, but if it had to happen, I'm glad it happened THIS way.

Anyway, the doctor came out with the pictures of his esophagus. His colon and stomach were fine. They removed one polyp from his colon-no big.

The esophagus, on the other hand, is the problem. It looked like the esophagus of someone who had been having bad reflux for 20 years. The doctor said that it was the worst case he has seen in someone so young in his 30 years in practice. It was eaten up from top to bottom with large ulcers. It looked like blistered hamburger meat. Yuck!!

Kinney, from the time he was little, after his first GBS, has had migraines which would make him throw up. He also had a spastic duodenum which would cause him to continue to throw up. Between that and reflux, that's how it got so damaged.

So, he has severe esophagitis (that's where all his blood volume went) and the other thing is called Barrett's Esophagus. It's when the esophagus has been so damaged that the body tries to heal itself by putting small bowel cells in the place of where the old damaged esophagial cells were. It is the thing which causes most cancers of the esophagus. His esophagus was so raw that they couldn't even attempt a biopsy. They are giving him meds and a special diet to heal the sores. In three months he will have another EGD and then they will biopsy. The doc says he will have to take the meds always and have EGDs every year, but getting the cells at the earliest possible stage is what makes the difference.

Right now, they think they got to things ahead of time and the cells don't look cancerous, but the biopsy will confirm it - and yes, he still has pneumonia. It's what caused them to do a blood count which is the reason they found the problems with his esophagus. When the sores heal, it should help some of his energy return and he'll feel a whole lot better. So I say again - "Thank God for Pneumonia!"

He was released tonight with another sack full of medication and is in the bedroom coughing right now.

Please continue to pray for us. This is going to really be even more difficult financially. Also, I would like you to pray for me because I am just so very tired.

Thank you everyone,
Mrs. Preacherman "Tess" Mabry