Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo went to the ENT today, and received some bad news. He wants her to continue not to eat or drink for another 3 weeks. This will allow time for her to be off the Predizone, along will additional packing of the wound, and possible healing. If this does not work, he is proposing another surgery, that will take mussel from her chest to graph to the wound in her neck. Neither of us are quite sure of the particulars of this, and we are hopeful that we will never know what they are.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo went to the Ortho today, and was told that the area between the disks is starting to fill in with bone, which is good. However, she will need to remain in the Miami J collar for another 3 weeks. Ironically, her next appointment with the Ortho is exactly 6 months from the date that she had the first surgery.

We have begun to reduce the predizone, 1 mg at a time. She is now down to 4mg and will go to 3mg on Thursday. The reason for the reduction is that the ENT feels that it is inhibiting the healing of the esophagus. This is allowing her Rheumatoid Arthritis to come back to full strength, and she is in a lot of pain as a result. Now, I am not sure if the pain medication she is taking, is more for the surgery related items, or for the arthritis. Either way it is not good.

Please pray that the pain will subside, and that the esophagus will finally heal, and that the disks will fuse properly.

Bettyjo Update

Bettyjo went to the ENT last Thursday, and he stated that he thought the predizone she is on is keeping the esophagus from healing. So....she will be stepping the predizone down for the next four weeks. After that it may be another 3 or 4 weeks to completely heal. We are looking at another 6 to 8 weeks on the feeding tube. Not exactly what we wanted to hear.

Maybe when she goes to the Ortho she can take the collar off.

Swallow Test Results

Bettyjo got a swallow test done Wednesday, and water came out the wound in her neck. She talked to the Doctor on Thursday, and he want to see her in two weeks. So.....we'll see what course of action we will take then.

Bettyjo is getting very discouraged.

Please pray for patience for all of us, and that she would be encouraged.