Re: Hello Everyone -

[Guest guest]

> I was wondering some things about the proposed surgeries for the

> esophagus. Are all of them permanent, or can some be reversed

later on?

>

,

I can only speak for the procedure that had. When it was

proposed to me in Jan 1999, I was told that it was permanent. I had

a difficult time with that. I went back in Feb 1999 to the surgeon

to discuss this option some more and he told me that it had just been

published in the New England Journal of Medicine that the procedure

was being sucessfully reversed, but the attempts were limited.

Right now, I view it as permanent but in the event that is

ever able to oral feed, then there is some hope that medical

technology will have progressed to where it will be easily reversed.

has 0 motility in her esophagus right now. The combination

of nerve problems and damage to the esophagus because of the years of

chronic reflux is why is not an oral feeder. She doesn't

swallow well, but she can and does swallow safely. She just can't

get anything to move once it is in the esophagus and she knows that

is not safe for her. We can give her tastes and drinks is she wants

them. She just can't take any volume by mouth without it running

right out of her.

has eaten on demand since she was 8 or 9. She began to eat

15+ times a day. She was eating for relief. Now she still eats

(tube feedings) on demand and only asks to eat 6 to 10 times a day

depending on how many hours she is up. If it is a 20 hour day, it

could be more feedings.

I have said this before when I have talked about this procedure. I

don't recommend it. I only know that it has been a wonderful

procedure that changed 's life for the better and I wouldn't

change that for the world!

Sheryl, mom to 15 CHARGEr and Mitch 15.