Radioactive Eggs… a Health Update

“He who has health, has hope; and he who has hope, has everything.”

This quote is a proverb that I found online.  It rings true to anyone who is going through any health issues, especially those who have chronic health problems.  To remain hopeful is not always the easiest task. Sometimes I feel like I am wearing a mask, a big fake mask with a permanent smile. “You look so good”, is my favorite response when people see me. Yes, I might have lost a ton of weight.  Yes, I might have my mask with full make-up on, but I am sick. I might not “look” sick but inside my body, I am sick.

In addition to the Celiac Disease, I have another autoimmune disease called Inflammatory Disease, where my body just decides that it will randomly inflame different things. I also have Psoriasis (another autoimmune disease), chronic asthma, life-threatening food allergies, and regular food allergies. I have been living with chronic, debilitating pain in my side (the doctors think that it is scar tissue once again attacking something) and a whole bunch of random symptoms that make life no fun! (This is not a sob story, I promise.  Just a background of what I am dealing with).  Recently, I went to get another endoscopy to check in with the Celiac damage and to see why I have been throwing up every night.  On a positive note, the doctors found out that I am healing nicely from the Celiac damage (minus the annoying polyps). They couldn’t find a reason (endoscopically) why I am so sick. Flashforward to today…..

I had to eat radioactive eggs. No, I am not going to go all nuclear on you but it was definitely an experience.  Below you will find the radioactive eggs. Normal egg beaters infused with radioactive particles. (Some might say, “Jenn, aren’t you allergic to eggs?” Why yes, I am, but my doctor said the discomfort from the eggs is less important than the results we would get).

Delicious….

After eating the eggs, you get into a special x-ray machine and lie really still for 1 1/2 hours while it continuously takes pictures of your stomach.  The light ball in the center of the screen… those are the radioactive particles lighting up in the eggs in my stomach.

I watched it as it slowly traveled down into my intestines. And by slowly, I mean slowly.  I was there for three hours before the radiologist determined that 90% of one egg had been digested.

Why the gastro doctor wanted a Gastro Emptying Study done was to see how I am digesting my food. Hopefully I will receive some results soon to why I am getting so sick eating. Until then, I have to remain hopeful. If you are going through health issues, remember that you are not alone. Even today when something random health wise happens, I am like, “What?? Who else does this happen to? Why always me?” I try to remember that someone else out there is dealing with the same random, crazy symptoms and they too had to figure it out. Or maybe they are in the process of figuring it out.  Maybe they are dealing with something completely different. That is why I hope my words resinate with someone who might be going through a rough time. That they too can say, hey I am not alone. Someone else has been through this and I can be hopeful that I too can get through this too.

xoxo

Jenn