4 Long, Long, Long, Years

I spend the next 4 years letting all of my symptoms get worse. I decided in my head that there couldn't be anything else wrong with me, after all I had my gallbladder and appendix removed and maybe all the sickness was just the effect of having these organs taken out, right?

Each year the symptoms seem to get progressively worse. The pain is awful; it has become an overall dull ache that would intensify if I did anything besides sitting. The nausea becomes unbearable and I feel like I am going to puke if I even look at the wrong type of foods. I get heartburn from eating or drinking anything including water. I get to the point that I stop eating for several hours before I have to leave the house in fear of not making it to the bathroom in time. Staples in my purse include Immodium, Pepto Bismol, and Tums. I chew on all of these like candy. When I do eat, the only things I can semi-tolerate are chicken soup, saltine crackers, white bread, and sprite (which also doesn't help the waistline).

I decide in July of 2012 that I need a Dr. and I need one now. Only problem is who do I go to. The only Gastroenterology clinic in Provo is located at Central Utah Clinic and their office policy required me to see the same Dr. that called me crazy a few years ago. I immediately nixed that idea and called my insurance company. It was decided that the next best location for me to go would be in Murray…a 40 minute drive from where I live, on a good traffic day. I got online and did I ever do my homework. I searched out Doctors and looked up their patient reviews. I found one who had good reviews and decided to give him a shot. Maybe he wouldn't think I was crazy!