Hi All - Our Update!

[Guest guest]

Hi All! First, I would like to start by apologizing to everyone for

not being more active on this board. I would love to respond to

everyone and be more supportive to everyone, but right now I feel

like we have been chasing our own tails! I am sure that many of you

on here can relate to the hours that we are spending just on the

phone to get to the right place!! Second, I would like to thank

everyone from the bottom of my heart for the support/understanding

that I have received from everyone.

Okay, now our update! I am very happy to say that after meeting

with the Thoracic surgeon today that he is not at all concerned with

the mass that was found on the CT Scan. His major concern was Chet's

esophagus - he said that it was filled and dialated and he could not

believe it! He went over all of the tests that Chet had, and he

said that he really keeps coming back to Achalasia (Gee, we are not

shocked!). He said that the mass that is described in the report

(he is not even sure that he is seeing it correctly - it appears

right on the esophagus) is on a scale of 1 - 10 a 2 or 3 to be

anything of significance. He said that it is NOT causing the

esophagus to look and act this way. He said that it is incidental

that this was even found - he said that he will follow up on it, but

he really does not feel that it is anything. Thank God!!! He is

recommending that Chet have a Myotemy (gosh, where have I heard

that! Wink! Wink!) the first week of January - of course, after he

confers with our Gastro Dr. and follows up on the barium swallow x-

rays himself. I asked him about the Heller Myotemy, but he said

that Chet needs the entire muscle of the esophagus to be torn and

not just the normal 1 - 2 inches.

I know that Achalasia is a life long battle - but I cannot explain

the relief that overwhelmed me when he said these words to us

today! I have been saying since before Thanksgiving that this is

what he needed, but I didn't think anyone was listening!!!

Achalasia over the other options that have been put on our plate

lately seems to be the lesser of all evils!!!! Of course, I am not

the sufferer, but as I stated above, it looks really good compared

to our other options at this time!!!

Well, once again - THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART TO

EVERYONE! I hope that I am able to be supportive/understanding in

the near future to newcombers and old timers on this board. I hope

that everyone's holiday is filled with joy and happiness!!

Thanks again!