It's Memorial Day in the US and that means it is a day to remember and honor the servicemen and women who died while serving their country. Before we share this latest update, we wanted to take a moment to remember them and thank them for their service. If you know a member of the military, perhaps thank them today.
Before we go into the results of her trip, Lauren asked us to please share her thanks. She said she could not have gotten through this without all the love and help that came her way. She said she was humbled by how much support she received. She was overwhelmed by the generosity of the donors. While she didn't know who all of them were (as the paypal donations were kept private from her at her request), she was simply blown away by it all. The funds helped pay for the plane tickets and hotel in Baltimore and also for the recent visit to Dallas for all the other tests. It was a relief to her to not have to stress about how to pay for things. Her husband and son were able to go with her to Baltimore and both were a source of strength. She also specifically wants to thank Sally Lunsford and Jessica Aldridge (an aunt and cousin) who flew out to Baltimore to help out in case she needed it. They took her sight-seeing at the Baltimore Harbor the day before appointment and gave little Fabian a lot of fun memories at the Baltimore Zoo.
Lauren is back home now and definitely has steps and a plan. She met with the doctor and first of all, he absolutely agreed that she needs the gastric stimulator. Her current mode of treatment is obviously not working and even if it were, it would not be a long term solution. The diabetes, nervous system, and connective tissue disease are the main culprits for her problem. Also her pancreas is insufficient. In most type 1 diabetics, their pancreas can no longer produce insulin, but in Lauren it is not producing digestive enzymes either. This is not a typical problem of diabetics. Her immune system is also attacking her stomach lining. Most of this they knew going in, which is why the stimulator seemed to be the best course. But the doctor at Johns Hopkins also believes that the stomach problem and the diseases might also be causing a small-bowel bacteria overgrowth. This, he believes, is the source of the near constant pain and discomfort she has felt in her stomach area. He had her take a rather involved test while she was in Baltimore to confirm it.
So what does all this mean?
Well, the good news is that this highly recommended doctor confirmed the course of action that her doctor in Dallas is recommending. A big concern of Lauren's was that he'd disagree and she'd have to start all over again. So his recommendation is that she get the stimulator (which will mean a surgery to implant it). Then he'd like her to get a better nutritionist who is trained in Lauren's particular situation. He'd also like her to get a naturopathic doctor to follow her closely. The nutritionist and naturopathic doctor will work together to better guide her in eating and balancing out the bacteria. This means her diet will likely stay as strict and perhaps get a bit stricter.
The prognosis seems to be that while the damage done is irreversible, they are working to be able to slow down or stop further damage and make Lauren a lot more comfortable in her day- to-day life. Once the stimulator is in place, she should be able to eat food more comfortably. The new modified diet should prevent the pain and discomfort of the bacteria overgrowth. Hopefully, this all means she will be able to gain some weight and, most importantly, feel better. She was told the malnutrition and low weight will still be a concern due to the multiple comorbidities along with the damage they have already caused, but the thought of better treatment and a step forward in knowledge is a huge blessing.
This is hopeful and good news. It means there is a plan in place and that two of the top doctors in the country have agreed on her treatment. It also means that there is hopefully an end in sight to years of pain, suffering, and, yes, even starving for Lauren.
We don't know how long it will take before she can get the surgery. There are insurance approvals to go through, but all the recent tests taken and doctors’ visits should hasten the approval process. Her doctor in Dallas is working on getting it through the system.
While the updates may not be as regular, we will let you know when the surgery is going to take place and when it is done.
To add to Lauren's thanks, we'd like to add our own. We so appreciate all of you for the love, well-wishes and donations. Each positive thought that came her way bolstered her spirits. It meant a lot to us to see. We are all, like Lauren, humbled. Thank you. We're not out of the woods yet, there are still steps to be taken, but we really feel like there is a light at the end of the tunnel. And a lot of that is thanks to the help from all of you.
