As I lay on the operating table for my endoscopy, I felt like the procedure was routine. For someone with esophageal atresia, endoscopies and food removal procedures are commonplace. However, as I read through my post-op notes, the situation became less routine. The doctor’s notes revealed that my esophagus was only 1-2mm open, which is a very small opening. Thanks to the skilled hands of Dr. David Lee at Columbia Presbyterian and the Allen Hospital, my esophagus was dilated to 15mm. This news was alarming because my last endoscopy was in July 2020, and in just three years, my esophagus had narrowed significantly. While not life-threatening, this indicates that even my esophagus is aging, and I need to take steps to prevent further narrowing if I want to eat healthily.
I wanted to share this experience because there is a community of people who deal with esophageal atresia daily, and my story may resonate with you or someone you know. My advice to those dealing with atresia is to not treat endoscopies as bi-annual or tri-annual events. Instead, aim to have them every six months to a year. I learned this lesson the hard way and want to pass it on to others. Additionally, there’s nothing wrong with using a fork and knife to thoroughly enjoy your food! Consider this blog a wake-up call to prioritize your health and take care of yourself. It’s worth taking a day off work if it means extending your life on this incredible planet. Remember, we may have esophageal atresia, but it doesn’t control us.
Take this blog today as a wake up call to get One Leg Up on your health today! It is so worth missing work for that one day if it means self-care to extend your life ok this amazing planet!
Resources here :https://www.we-are-eat.org/
OneLegUpAlex 