Saturday, May 26, 2018

False Hope


life's a polyp false hope

With the changes to my health over the last two years, I can't help but believe that this is the healthiest I will be. Actually, in truth, I believe my healthiest days are behind me and this is my new level of healthy - a step down from where I was and therefore everything else that is to follow will only be worse.

All in all to try to fix the problem of my declining health over the last two years, I've endured 3 upper scopes, 1 lower scope, CT scan, labs including stool specimen testing. And although things have been ruled out as culprits and some culprits have been found, the underlying issues remain - I have chronic nausea and pain. And perhaps this is all primarily from the adhesions as my doctor diagnosed last year. Even if this is the case, the fact then remains that it will worsen as the adhesions continue to worsen and surgery for adhesion removal is inevitable - and so are risks that come with such surgery.

I lived with an ileostomy for six years before I was finally able to have my ostomy reversed with a straight pull through. Reversal wasn't a guarantee for me and whenever there is a surgery involving my remaining intestine, there will be risk of another ileostomy - only truly permanent this time.

life's a polypThis is my fear for the future. Although better equipped to adjust and accept an ostomy now versus when I was a teenager, I still do not prefer an ostomy. With all the problems that my straight pull through has with the development of short bowel syndrome, I still do not regret my decision for reversal and I want to maintain my reversal.
And to further complicate my health, I was recently diagnosed with Acquired Polycystic Kidney Disease. I don't have a family history of Polycystic Kidney Disease and haven't undergone genetic testing for the gene so it is assumed that it is a sponatenous manifestation within me. My nephrologist advised I have an estimated 20 years before I start to experience kidney issues, which at that time it will be likely that my kidneys will start to fail from an abundance of renal cysts and will require kidney transplant or dialysis if I want to continue living. My nephrologist advised that due to my Familial Polyposis, I am greater risk of cysts and cancer occurring. And so I will be monitored once a year with a CT Scan to monitor for cysts and tumors on my kidneys. As long as I can stave off my GI issues from worsening, I have an estimated 20 years of health remaining before I will begin to experience another change in health.

I struggle with this reality and with the present. I'm told to not give up hope for improvement of my symptoms. But at some point, false hope can be dangerous. I want my health to improve and perhaps it will but the odds are, this is it for now. I'm remaining open to trying a few more things but I'm trying to balance myself between positive hope and false hope. I've learned that when we cling to false hope, we are hit hard with a different reality. A reality that we could have been better prepared for if we had accepted the chance that exists for what we fear.





Saturday, May 12, 2018

When I'm Asked How I'm Doing

ask how I'm doing life's a polyp

When you have a chronic illness, sometimes it's hard to know how to answer when asked how you're doing. The odds are, we're not doing very well. We have daily symptoms we're contending with and most of the time we don't feel well but we don't want to admit that to others. We question the sincerity of the question and what is considered to be too much information when we answer. So we lie usually instead of answering the truth - the truth being that we aren't doing well.

I always question does someone really want the truth or just the brief, expected answer so that conversation can move along. I rarely answer honestly. I entered the habit of answering "okay" or "good" even though it was a lie. I was tolerating the moment even though internally, I felt like death warmed over.

life's a polyp
I became tired of answering with a lie and a superficial glancing over my daily health. I wanted a more sincere answer but I also didn't want to dwell on the answer, particularly if my well being is only being sought after on a superficial level, out of societal nicities. I hate the looks of pity when I answer with a truthful "I'm doing horrible" type of answer.

I tried out different answers that felt genuine for me but none felt right. To say I'm functioning is true but it invites additional questioning and feelings of pity I thought. I'm alive didn't work well either for me. I finally settled on "I'm hanging in".

I'm hanging in provides a truthful answer without the invite for pity from others. It allows for further conversation but doesn't require additional questioning. It's clear and to the point - I'm managing but I could be doing better but I'm not worse either.

How do you answer others when asked how you're doing? What have you found works best for you? Share with me.