Our second day on vacation brought me a surprise. As I took an ibuprofen with my coffee, something that had been lodged in my throat moved and closed off my esophagus. I tried for 4 hours to dislodge what I thought at first was the pill. But, after several hours, I knew the pill was dissolved and something else was preventing me from swallowing. So, I ended up in the ER undergoing an endoscopy. The GI doctor did a biopsy and took some photos as well as removing what was stuck. It turns out I have a condition called Eosinophilic Esophagitis, EoE. It's when your esophagus develops allergy cells called eosinophiles that cause the esophagus to become irritated and swollen which causes difficulty in swallowing. So, it seems I am having some kind of allergic reaction and will be heading to an allergy clinic for testing to determine what is causing this. I'm fine...no other symptoms. As long as I chew and swallow carefully, no food gets stuck. Other than being a little tired after the procedure, I had no other problems the rest of the trip. This condition is hereditary, I believe, running on my Grandma Barb's side. Even though I was told eight years ago by a nurse practitioner that this was normal to have food get stuck in your throat, I have now learned that isn't the case. It's not normal! So I have dealt with the anxiety of this disorder for years when I could have had treatment. It's a horrible feeling to be out or around people and constantly worrying if what you eat is going to get lodged. So, I guess it was a blessing this happened and I am now finally getting some answers. There is a chance, if we determine what is the cause of the allergy, that my esophagus can return to normal.
One of the local residents!
Famous Bumbleberry Pie
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