BKT, wishing strength and peace to your friend. What an awful thing to go through, as if she weren't already enduring enough.

So, update on the gastroenterologist saga: the nurse practitioner from Awesome Doctor's practice called me with the MRI results (which were normal), and so I told her that I didn't feel like the gastroenterologist even listened to me, etc., and I thought he jumped to an endoscopy/colonoscopy really quickly. She said that she was expecting that's what the next step would be, since there's no way to know for sure what's going on in my (increasingly expensive) stomach without looking inside.

But she totally validated my discomfort with the gastroenterologist for not listening to me, and gave me a couple of names for gastroenterologists to get a second opinion, but she said they would probably also want to do a endoscopy and colonoscopy.

So, I still feel like the tests are overkill, but if I see a second gastroenterologist who actually listens to me and they recommend the tests, I'll do them.

This is a lot of fuss for one small organ. Sheesh. (And look, I realize that I have a LOT of privilege to complain about the health care I'm receiving. We have good insurance, and all of my doctors so far have addressed the actual problem and didn't try to tell me it was because I was overweight, and I've gotten the tests I need quickly and easily. I am VERY lucky compared to a lot of people in this country because of our fucked-up health care system. I do know this. But it's still annoying to need all these tests.)

Endoscopy/colonoscopy are fairly common first steps IME. Good luck with finding a doctor that listens to you.

Today is my last day with mother's helpers. I'm so sad they have to go back to school. I have to do all the laundry while they're here. Because there are no clean clothes in the house.

Is the Nexium still working for you, Steph?

Is the Nexium still working for you, Steph?

Yeah. It's been almost 2 weeks, and the pain is 99% gone.

I'm trying to decide whether to go into the office or work from home today. I think that work from home is winning, even though working from the office would be more productive. But first, nap.

I'm trying to decide whether to go into the office or work from home today.

The weather is lousy today. It's getting all thundery here right now. I think the storms are supposed to be kind of bad today. I vote work from home.

BKT, wishing strength and peace to your friend. What an awful thing to go through, as if she weren't already enduring enough.

Cheers, Zen. Really, it's all so much.

She's, thankfully, back to normal and has given up the patch.

I feel small saying this, but I am still a bit stung. I know it was the drug talking, but I'm wondering it is just gave her license to express her true feelings. She was just so mean.

I have to put all that out of my mind. The end is barreling down on her. It seems the tumors are winning.

In any case, she is so much better, we are just rollin' with it.

Hang in there beekaytee. Who knows for sure where the mean talk originated. I know there are times when I will have ugly thoughts which my brain immediately jumps on as being unfair/unkind/wrong. If I had no filter, I know I'd end up saying things I don't really mean. When those thoughts happen, my next thought is typically "where the heck did that come from".

Today I have WAY too much to do and not enough time and yet here I am, procrastinating with y'all. Where did my motivation go?

beekaytee, your strength to see this through for a friend is lovely to see. You are a blessing to her and to her family even at the times she is not able to say how much your hard work is appreciated.

Steph, I'm glad the Nexium is helping, regardless of what tests you end up enduring.