Thank you for support....at mayo now.....i have found hope.

Seems like forever since i posted.

Feeling horribly physically so this will be short. Very long and scary/painful/dangerous test later this morning. May last around 8-9 hours.

In good hands though. I have found my angel, the GI doc I have here was clearly send by God.

Overwhelmed and incredibly lucky and blessed. 36 years to get here, but I am here. There is hope for a better life.

Thanks for all the support here. Would not have made it this far without your kind words and thoughts.

Do not give up. There is hope.

God Bless and Comfort you Sunny.

Post when you feel like it.

I too have just had a Pain Doctor enter my Treatment that seems like an Angel.

Now,I can't believe the way I was treated by other PMD's.

Sometimes I think God has to intervene when he sees we need some help.

Positive thoughts heading your way,

Rick

Very long long long day. Finally got my water. Was so thirsty!!

Feeling amazing. Absolutely awesome. Wonderful docs, nurses, everyone. Got some answers. Sounds like I will keep my colon but still end up w/ an ostomy. Fine with me. Let's get the party started!!

This week has been life changing, beyond anything i ever would have expected. I have suffered from depression for over 20 years, feeling very little to live for. that has changed. I have moved beyond myself. I have a new found appreciation for life. I don't think i will take so much for granted anymore. I want to make a difference, to connect, to live.

Thanks again to everyone for your support. I hope I am able to do the same for others as you have done for me.

I think i am starting to realize what really matters to me.

Love and less pain to you all.

glad to hear you sound encouraged. Just curious what has changed for the better?(sorry haven't been following really).
what test did you have to have-sounds like no fun!

I wish for you continued joy, hope, and relief.

Thanks for the comments. Support means so much. I am home now. I thought the trip would be about stress and anxiety, and just getting thru it, but it was so much more. I found that God has been answering my prayers...the docs and nurses at Mayo are no doubt my angels.

The colonic motility test was the really tough one. 7am til 6pm, with about a 7 hour span of not moving at all, (well, except for about 2 minutes when I could roll onto my side while they adjusted some stuff.) No pain meds, so sedation, no food or water. Minimal whispering. Injected with a heart medication that caused some weird effects--blurred vision, twitchy/spasms in eyes, sudden and profuse sweating, very rapid and rather drastic changes in heart rate, and some trouble breathing in. In good hands though and it lasted only about 15-20 minutes. Felt like forever. They had the "rescue" injection ready, got sorta close to using it at one point, but it was ok. Important thing is that they were able to get the info they needed.

Looking like 2 (maybe 3) pretty intense surgeries to come. It's ok though. They recommend a colostomy, removal of the rectum, and probably surgery to remove the uterus and then (using some abdominal muscle (hope doc knows there isn't much there, i'm pretty flabby in that area)) they will put the bladder back into it's place, because it has fallen and is hanging out where it shouldn't be. Things will be a bit more complicated because I already have some weird anatomy going on; I had a bladder augmentation 8 years ago, where they made the bladder larger using some intestine and then created a channel from bladder to stoma on my abdomen. So, they have to work around that stuff. Don't know what will be done first, but sounds like a ton of recovery time for each surgery and between them as well. Mayo doc felt confident that it will be ok, it will work out, just be a bit challenging!! Obviously will have to be open surgeries.

Lots of pain today, but the weird thing is, I can't stop smiling (not that i want to), and if you ask my how i feel, I will tell you "amazing".

Thanks for listening and for always being supportive.