Week 9

Its week 9, only three more weeks until week 12. I'm really looking forward to this, as hopefully I'll see even more improvements. I have been feeling much better since my last blog entry. Actually, the next day after blogging last, I woke up feeling great! All this week has been pretty good. The nausea is almost completely resolved. Yesterday I had a few hours in the afternoon where I was feeling pretty nauseated. Had to break from my studying, but it resolved on its own. This morning too, after eating breakfast I was afraid I was not going to keep it down. I noticed the early cues to where it was heading and took some Benadryl. Forty-five minutes later, I'm back to myself again writing this entry. I hope to be very productive this week. I have a big pathophysiology exam this Wednesday to study for. Its worth 45% of my mark so I really need to focus. However, I really do enjoy the material. I'm fascinated with health, diseases and the body, not to mention human biochemistry. I actually read something yesterday that was really interesting to me, as my mother has short-gut syndrome. Obviously a big concern with short-gut syndrome is taking in enough calories and nutrients because  absorption is limited when you only have a small portion of your intestine remaining. Anyway, have you ever heard about someone losing a kidney and the other remaining one grows bigger and compensates for the loss of the first? Or having a part of your liver removed and the remaining piece regenerates and compensate for the partial removal? Well according to my text, those affected by short-gut syndrome,  the villi and the crypts in the ileum increase in size and absorptive capabilities. (Villi are these long finger like projections in the inside of the intestine. If were you touch them, they feel like almost like soft fuzz because they're so small and fine. They're there to increase the surface area of your intestine so more tissue can come in contact with food to absorb it.) The adaptation doesn't return you to normal but every little bit helps. Our bodies are so amazing!

Anyway, back to this past week. I'm feeling very good. Nausea is much better, and almost no bloating at all. My abdomen still remains very tender but there are days which are much better than others. Also I've been having joint pain return again. Its mild compared to what is was, but has been pretty constant in my left leg (toes, ankle, knee) for the past five days or so. Its a little disheartening but, I try to remember that this is a process, not a one day cure all. And I have been expecting some ratcheting which will no doubt  continue. Overall, if I weigh the good and the bad, the balance is tipping far to the good. I've been giddy this week with my flat tummy. Its so nice and soft and when I sit--it goes in! (Instead of being forced out, all distended). I can move around and the change my position with much less discomfort. Its so liberating! Ahh... the little joys in life.