Late last year I experienced what I thought was heartburn. The problem became more frequent through the holiday season and into the new year. By the beginning of February, I was on a bland diet and not eating past 6PM. But still, the problem escalated.
We visited Dr. Linton and were prescribed meds. Escalated still. We went back to the doc and were prescribed more meds. Soon there were no more stretches of good days followed by a bad night. I was sick all the time, no matter what we did. Finally, at the suggestion of Katja (thank god for playgroups where you can lay it all out there with women/friends), we turned to Nathan's pediatrician Dr. Yoo so that she could refer us to someone at her practice that might be willing to actually run a test or two.
She took the case herself, saw me immediately and ordered an endoscopy, chest xray and EKG--all were normal. We headed into the weekend with new meds and new hope. No dice. We cancelled the whole weekend and went back to Dr. Yoo on Monday. Finally, she discovered gall stones and a dilated biliary tree. The dilation was of utmost concern and she sent me back to Severance that afternoon. She called and said, "Dr. Linton knows you are coming and is waiting for you. (later I learned from him that she called and gave him a very hard time for missing my diagnosis)."
Dr. Linton, once learning I had not kept any food or water down since the prior Wednesday morning (it was now Monday afternoon), admitted me on the spot to address the dehydration. Kyle, who had just that morning asked me to mention to my parents that we may need their help caring for Nathan while we tried to figure this out, called my parents and they began making arrangements immediately.
I was too dehydrated and my pancreatic and liver enzymes were too elevated to perform the gall bladder surgery. Tuesday I had an ERCP
(endoscopic retrograde cholangio pancreatography) to remove the "rogue" stone and sludge that was compromising my pancreas (and causing the dilation). It hurt.
Wednesday we hydrated and monitored enzyme levels (and I made the mistake of eating--that did not go well). My dad arrived in Seoul at 9:30PM. Kyle and I both breathed a huge sigh of relief.
By Thursday I was ready for surgery (levels had a "fantastic decrease" said my surgeon), but it was a Korean holiday, so the anesthesiologist wasn't available.
Friday we had routine, successful gall bladder surgery. Saturday, I was released!
The expat community was awesome--from picking up my dad at the airport to delivering homemade meals--we couldn't be more touched by their support. And special thanks to our families and my mom and dad who literally dropped everything (including an annual trip to the Big Ten Basketball Tournament) to fly out here and help. THANK YOU.
Tomorrow is my birthday and I will, most very certainly, be toasting to my health--and yours.
:) sbc
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