age 8 :a girl's 4 month update

[Guest guest]

Hey everyone,

I've been off the site awhile.

This will be 's 1st Thanksgiving dinner after her Heller procedure.

I think she is ready to make up for missing last year.

She is up to 73 pounds. ( a whole 14 pounds from Aug 2007)

Hurray!!!!!!!!

As far as food goes:

Hotdogs and Ketchup are not tollerated.

I find I need to limit to small portions:

sausage

red spagetti sauce

Portions have bulked up, we are now:

breakfast

snack

lunch ( normal portion)

snack

snack at times

Dinner (normal portion)

desert at times

I'm thinking of doing away with extra snacks in school, but I figure

I'd rather have the snacks availible and not be eaten , than the other

way around.

I think when newly diagnosed or parents of newly diagnosed we all go

through a process.

similar to the steps in a grieving process.

I too felt tempted to " have science catch up to cure Achalasia " .

I still am hopeful, but try to mix hopeful with reality. ( Choose the

best treament for us , go for it and hope something better comes along.)

After the surgery I noticed that my daughter had smiled.

It was not until that point that I realized for the past 11 months ,

had not been smiling. It was a heartfilled moment for sure.

I think it is hard to accept the one has Achalasia, and that there are

limited options. I still am hopeful. I am hopeful everyone is getting

the treatment they deserve, and I hope in 10 years the Scientific

commmunity will get its act together and help out all the people

suffering with " A " .

I am thankful my daughter is not fainting, or feeling sick everyday and

everynight. I am thankful we can now leave the house, because before

she was always feeling carsick. i am thankful that i do not have to

keep my ears " perked up " at night to be able to " run to her rescue " if

she aspirates. I am thankful for everyday I have with my child,

especially when she is NOT suffering. And I am especially thankful for

ALL the wisdom, compasion, and friendships from the people on this

group.

I wish everyone a great Thanksgiving and Christmas and New Year!!!!

Again, I am always hopeful things can be better!!!!

Hey will someone win the lottery already and get the research and

Achalsia non-profit group started we've been dreaming about. HA HA

again - hopeful

Dana Mills in VA