Another lovely day in Oklahoma. . .

[NFLDERS]

We've been walkway busy.. changed out the english garden except for the honey suckle climber.

Then, opened the pool's for summer! She loves it!!

 

[Micca]

It's lovely Jane! The house set back from the road makes it estate-y And two pools for the pooch!

 

[NFLDERS]

It's lovely Jane! The house set back from the road makes it estate-y And two pools for the pooch!

Yes! It's funny she loves trying to get the indentations of fish ie from the bottom of the small pool, but not from the larger one it's solely (so it seems) the soaker pool!!

 

[leebee]

Dual pools- luxury!

Summer session is in full swing, has been for 6 weeks now with two to go, but I'm done. I have been having horrifying reflux/GERD/vomiting for the past few months and had an endoscopy today. Confirmed the surgeon's suspicions and I'm scheduled for surgery on 6/22 to repair a hiatal hernia, and do a bunch of related things. I am not anxious about the surgery, except the surgeon's not quite sure of some of it until she gets in there, so the recuperation period is unsure. Anyhow, I am done teaching for the summer, will have a few weeks off to rest, then go back to work on a flexible schedule. This sure wasn't how I thought my summer would start! I am not anxious about the surgery at all, and am looking forward to feeling better in a few weeks.

I hope everyone is happy, healthy, and looking forward to a much more "normal" summer than we had last year!

 

[tarheelmjfan]

We've been walkway busy.. changed out the english garden except for the honey suckle climber.

Then, opened the pool's for summer! She loves it!!View attachment 580865View attachment 580866

I'm so jealous. I love honeysuckle. They grew wild on my parent's property in North Carolina. I tried so hard to keep one alive in Florida, so DS could experience sucking the juice from them, but it was a lost cause. Your landscaping looks great.

 

[Micca]

I'm scheduled for surgery on 6/22 to repair a hiatal hernia,

Sure sorry to hear about this leebee, but your positive attitude will go a long way in recovery. At least you have some down time to heal, so you don't have the pressure of work hanging over your head. Please let us know how it goes!

 

[ronandannette]

Dual pools- luxury!

Summer session is in full swing, has been for 6 weeks now with two to go, but I'm done. I have been having horrifying reflux/GERD/vomiting for the past few months and had an endoscopy today. Confirmed the surgeon's suspicions and I'm scheduled for surgery on 6/22 to repair a hiatal hernia, and do a bunch of related things. I am not anxious about the surgery, except the surgeon's not quite sure of some of it until she gets in there, so the recuperation period is unsure. Anyhow, I am done teaching for the summer, will have a few weeks off to rest, then go back to work on a flexible schedule. This sure wasn't how I thought my summer would start! I am not anxious about the surgery at all, and am looking forward to feeling better in a few weeks.

I hope everyone is happy, healthy, and looking forward to a much more "normal" summer than we had last year!

Tough thing to face but I'm really glad for you. Having your esophageal sphincter repaired will be life-altering; no more reflux for you!! When you suffer from GERD for years and years it's almost impossible to imagine how much better you'll feel without it.

I look forward to hearing your good report and wait (im)patiently for the day I can get a gastro surgeon to put me on their list.

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

We've been walkway busy.. changed out the english garden except for the honey suckle climber.

Then, opened the pool's for summer! She loves it!!View attachment 580865View attachment 580866

It's been so hot here lately, I'd be quite tempted to join Summer in those pools!

 

[Twilight Sparkle]

Good luck with the surgery, leebee! I hope you feel much better after that.

 

[NFLDERS]

Best wishes for a quick heal, and a better future ahead leebee.

 

[Disneyfan754321]

We've been walkway busy.. changed out the english garden except for the honey suckle climber.

Then, opened the pool's for summer! She loves it!!View attachment 580865View attachment 580866

What a beautiful yard/ view you have

 

[Disneyfan754321]

I live in South Florida in Delray beach.
Today ( like most days) 86 feels like 100
50% chance of a scattered shower. ...

The beach has yellow and purple ( seapest) flags as usual,
Riptides and for jellyfish ( in the winter/spring its man o war)

 

[NFLDERS]

Tough thing to face but I'm really glad for you. Having your esophageal sphincter repaired will be life-altering; no more reflux for you!! When you suffer from GERD for years and years it's almost impossible to imagine how much better you'll feel without it.

I look forward to hearing your good report and wait (im)patiently for the day I can get a gastro surgeon to put me on their list.

I'm not familiar with GERD, but in aging I've developed an enzyme loss plus since birth have coped with a dairy allergy. I've been using a product called Beano for several years now with awesome comfort. Just thought I'd share that with you.





Tomatoes, garlic, and my beloved chocolate are some other foods that Beano helps me with too.

 

[ronandannette]

I'm not familiar with GERD, but in aging I've developed an enzyme loss plus since birth have coped with a dairy allergy. I've been using a product called Beano for several years now with awesome comfort. Just thought I'd share that with you.

View attachment 583614

View attachment 583615

Tomatoes, garlic, and my beloved chocolate are some other foods that Beano helps me with too,

GERD is the acronym for acid reflux, which is where the upper esophageal sphincter becomes flacid and does not close completely, allowing stomach acid to splash up into your throat. The symptoms aren't really the same as lower GI tract disturbances. Heartburn, which most everybody gets from time to time is a teeny, tiny baby version of GERD; 1-out-of-10 on the pain scale.

 

[NFLDERS]

GERD is the acronym for acid reflux - not really the same as lower GI tract disturbances.

GERD is the acronym for acid reflux, which is where the upper esophageal sphincter becomes flacid and does not close completely, allowing stomach acid to splash up into your throat. The symptoms aren't really the same as lower GI tract disturbances. Heartburn, which most everybody gets from time to time is a teeny, tiny baby version of GERD; 1-out-of-10 on the pain scale.

OMGoodness that sounds horrible. What can be done to help with the pain? leebee's surgery is for her hernia, not GERD right?

 

[ronandannette]

OMGoodness that sounds horrible. What can be done to help with the pain?

Prescription meds (Prilosec, Previcid, Dexalent), dietary changes, OTC antiacids and even things like elevating the head of your bed so gravity reduces some of it at night. It is awful though.

Prolonged contact with stomach acid causes something called Barret's Esophagus which leads to cancer, coughing caused by the reflux can result in aspiration of acid and bits of stomach content into the lungs (very bad news) and one guy I know had such a forceful incident of reflux while laying down that the acid made it all the way to his sinuses and burned his septum. It is unbelievably corrosive. The permanent fix is a surgery that takes a band of muscle from the stomach and reinforces the sphincter.

 

[Micca]

Prolonged contact with stomach acid causes something called Barret's Esophagus which leads to cancer, coughing caused by the reflux can result in aspiration of acid and bits of stomach content into the lungs

I've had that happen, it's not fun. I take some OTC stuff now (Prevacid) and haven't had a problem in years.

 

[ronandannette]

I've had that happen, it's not fun. I take some OTC stuff now (Prevacid) and haven't had a problem in years.

Prevacid is still by prescription only here. Our OTC meds (besides regular antiacids) were Zantac and Pepcid AC but they have been taken off the market altogether in Canada in recent years. Something about them being carcinogenic, I think.

 

[Micca]

Prevacid was Rx only here, but they liberated it some years ago..

 

[leebee]

I'm baaaaaack... and more or less fit. The surgeon kept me in the hospital for 2 nights until my pain was at a level that is manageable at home. The surgery to fix the hiatal hernia was actually more rigorous than when I had my gastric sleeve surgery (and no, the hernia isn't because of the sleeve). I don't feel great, as there are stitches in my diaphragm (the muscle band that causes you to inhale and exhale); it hurts every time I breathe, and don't make me laugh. I am on a "full liquid" diet for a week, meaning nothing solid (so I made my favorite macaroni and cheese sauce, which I will eat like soup), so DD bought me some puddings and made chicken soup (I'll have to strain out the veg and chicken but the broth is pretty tasty). I'm used to the full liquid diet as I lived on it for a month when I had my bariatric surgery; I just wasn't prepared for it this time. My surgeon said that more than 50% of my sleeve had slipped from the abdominal cavity into my chest- no wonder I was having so much trouble with GERD! She also stretched the opening where the esophagus goes into the stomach, from 10mm to 16.5mm, which will also help with the reflux. After the week of full liquids, I can go onto a soft diet, which seems like heaven after a week of liquids, and after that gradually, carefully add more solid food. I am out of work for 2 weeks and am limited on lifting: Nothing over 5 pounds for the first 2 weeks (a gallon of water weighs about 8 pounds) and then nothing over 10 pounds for the next month. This kind-of messes with my summer vacation plans, especially with the trip to NOLA to see my sister on 7/4. No matter... it is all worth it if I have no more GERD. It is awful... waking at night with stomach acid filling the back of my throat, coughing up particles of undigested food hours after a meal (with the acid, of course), etc. Fortunately I have good co-workers who'll cover for me and a surgeon who is happy to answer questions at all hours, almost immediately (unless she's in the OR). Not the summer I thought I'd have, but that's OK; I'll rest, read, binge Chopped and Great British Bake Off, and eventually do some stuff around the house to stay occupied. Today is better than yesterday, tomorrow will be better than today, and I'll keep moving forward (and I have good drugs, if I need 'em ). Thanks for everybody's good wishes!