Endoscopy Update

After a night of tossing and turning with nightmares featuring punctured esophaguses, bleeding vessels, a perforated small intestine, and death (DEATH due to anesthesia), I awake to a hungry, cranky Ellie Bear.

DO NOT FEED THE BEAR.
"Please feed me.  I am SO hungry."

Cranky Bear was permitted to drink clear fluids for a few hours in the morning.  These clear liquids found their way all over my hand and her shirt while at The Coffee Beanery & Tea Leaf.  "Could I please have a napkin?  Don't worry, it is just some regurgitation of pedialyte."

Ellie Bear aka "the Human Water Fountain"

My dear friend Sheryl and her little Jack-A-Roo had us over for a relaxing, pre-op playdate.  Nothing like distraction to bring a smile to Ellie's face and to ease my Mama Bear fears.

Pre-op cruising in the wagon.  She is totally stylin' in yellow

"Look!  I am driving"

The Bear rocked her endoscopy.  Needless worry on my part.  Have I ever mentioned that I have an anxiety disorder?

Aren't they beautiful?  All pretty and pink.  No irritation, redness, or funky growths.

See the esophageal sphincter and the pyloric sphincter?  Also beautiful and lovely.

Post-op: "I will rip this IV out with my teeth if I have to!"

Seven biopsies were collected--2 from the esophagus, one from the stomach, and two from the stomach.  The mucosa looks NORMAL!!!!!!!  Whoot whoot!  Normal villi of the small intestine (tiny hairs) that make the likelihood of celiac's disease very low!!!!  Yippy!  The sphincters "opened easily" as per Doc B.  Happy dance!

Going home.

Apparently, Ellie Bear does NOT have reflux.  Huh?  This is good news.  This is baffling news.  Way back in the day, her barium swallow showed reflux, but perhaps she outgrew it.  The lovely pictures above pretty much prove there is no reflux.

The big question is: what is causing the spitting up?

The answer:  I do not know.  The doctor does not know.

Mama bear, with a knack for excessive worrying and a perchance for shear panic, does not do well with uncertainty or "I do not know.".  Nonetheless, I am relieved that we are able to rule one thing out.  I am relieved that she does not have any upper GI damage do to stomach acid.  I am relieved that there were no funky polyps, or growths, or papillomas, or tumors, or ulcers or anything else I can imagine.   (also teething, drooling, and excessive saliva are not causing this).

Didn't you know that hospital anklets are all the rage these days?

Now, we wait.  We wait for the biopsy results.  Even though all looks fabulous to the naked eye via endoscope, there can be some eosinophilic esophagitis due to some allergy.  As to what she would be allergic to--well, that is another question.  Chronic antihistamine use might be in our future.  Either that or we will have a chronic spitter.

"The happy juice is making me feel a little drunk right now."

The Chunky Chicken (Tuna of the Sea) doing fabulously.  Thank you for all of your well wishes, prayers, and support.  It means so much to our family.  Thank you!

Look out Amelie and Tama!