by cherylk » 14 May 2008, 10:07
Jo and Juney,
Thaks for your replies. As I indicated previously, I was telling my husband last night about this group. I still like to talk to him about my problem, but he gets very tired of hearing about it!!!! Hopefully, he won't divorce me. We have been married almost 38 years.
Personally, I think it stinks that so many younger people such as yourselves have this problem. I guess being a younger age is not a deterrent. At least I have been putting my Diltiazem cream in correctly. The Mayo CRS doc told me to get it into the first finger digit, and I have been doing that. My local CRS doc didn't emphasize that as much. I am in my fourth week of using the cream. I think that it is helping. I personally would like to have my colon taken out and be done with these probs.
I made an appointment to go back to my local CRS to get checked next week. I have the most confidence in the Mayo people. Unfortunately, the CRS "fellow" that I saw there will be leaving in July. I really connected with her last summer when I first saw her, more than with my Mayo GI doc. He and I got off to a rocky start, but now we get along well. My husband who was also in the room said that I was arguing with my Mayo GI doc during my appointment about my treatments. Imagine that! At any rate my Mayo GI doc and I get along well now, and I even sent him a tie for Christmas, and he and I have spoken often since my appointment with him last July.
I do not remember if either or both of you have IBS like I do. I am retired and would like to be traveling. It depresses me that I don't feel that I can because of lack of control of diet and because I cannot sit comfortably. We cut short our trip we took to Branson last fall because I became worried about my digestive system and sitting. It seems easier for me to just stay home right now, but I don't like doing so. I am just starting my two golf leagues which are good for me socially.
We live in central Illinois and are about 6 hours away from Mayos. I love that place and also was there 18 years ago and was seen in urology (another good experience). My dad had heart surgery there in the 80's and also felt that there was no place like Mayos, so it could be that I was conditioned to believe that it is a great place. I don't know how to do the fancy pictures, but I like the palm trees. Remind me of Hawaii. I would like to go back for another trip--simply paradise.
Lastly, I guess everything is relative. One of my friends is battling cancer and has been through chemo, a double mastectomy, and now is undergoing radiation. She is younger than me and also retired at the same time I did. Feel free to PM if either of you would like.
To our continued health improvements,
Cheryl K.