An Update 21st February 2019

An Update 21st February 2019

I have not really had much to report health wise but since the new year two things have happened and I thought that I would share this with those who are interested.

Firstly I started the new year with a MRI scan and went up to London to see the consultant, the lovely Dr. Robin Jones and he greats you with the results of the scan and it was clear. I said I was happy as I knew it was 50/50 but he shocked Mark and I by saying it was much higher and I was really fortunate. What a relief.

My insides are pretty mixed up and I have found out over the last six months I do not absorb all the nutrients, particularly zinc, iron and fats. So I have been taking an enzyme to help and extra vitamins and minerals and even with this I was the 4th lowest from the Bio lab last Christmas that year on zinc levels. So I have upped this supplement.

So I started to research who was the best person to see nationally and settled on St. Mark’s hospital in Harrow and Dr. Simon Gabe agreed to see me. This was back in September and I finally saw him last week. I am definitely in the right place and he is happy to take me on and try and solve some the the problems. I had lots of blood taken for tests, and then put on a list for more tests and back to see him in 4 months to determine what I will do from now on. They said a few interesting things, firstly I could not understand why my pancreas was not producing the enzyme and he said it could be that I am not producing hormones that tell the pancreas to produce the enzymes. Best guess on his part, but makes sense. Also they are concerned I might continue to get adhesions and problems, and they are happy to help me with all of this if that occurs. A bit of advice on what supplements but basically agreed with what I am doing. I am not sure if it is a good thing, but I am unlikely to ever gain weight again. So I can basically eat everything an not gain weight – if I knew this 5 years ago I would have never believed it. So being a size 6/8 and a healthy BMI is pretty good really.

Having said all this, I am really lucky and thinking what it all might have been like. This time last year I was in A&E with a fistula and in a bad way waiting to go on to TPN and facing the possibility of being intravenously fed for life. So having just spent a lovely few days with Rowena in Edinburgh eating out and living life pretty normally I count my blessings.