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Eosinophilic Esophagitis - Say That Ten Times Fast

e-o-sin-o-FILL-ik (eosinophilic)  uh-sof-uh-JIE-tis (esophagitis)

Ten times fast.

Ok, now, GO!

If you can say that mouthful of medical terms at all, let alone ten times fast, you are doing better than I. Truthfully, I had to ask the nurse about ten times to repeat herself, simply so I could write it down. Actually being able to pronounce these words, however? Well, that's another story.

The biopsy results from July's procedure took a little longer than expected, but I assumed the results would be normal as the scope looked fine. Corban's esophagus and stomach both looked so nice and pink in the pictures, so I figured all was well.

But all is not well. Corban has something called eosinophilic esophagitis,  EE, or EOE. Any of those terms describe the same thing: a build-up of white blood cells in his esophagus. Basically, there's a war going on inside of his esophagus.

This white blood cell "war" might explain why Corban fights eating so vehemently. It's probably quite painful for him to swallow, and food likely gets caught on the way down. It would also explain why he has frequent issues with vomiting (the bane of my existence, in case you were wondering).

Trying to determine the root cause of the EE will be a bit of a journey, however, as it could be any number of things. Food, allergens, or acid reflux, are the main reasons one might have EOE. If left untreated, it will only get worse and damage his esophageal tissue.

So, here we are again. One more challenge to face. One more thing to test. One more doctor to "poke and prod" my already traumatized son. One more reason to call out to God.

 
So, here I am, calling out.
 
 Lord, give us some answers! Help us know how to help our son. We tire of his tears. We hope for greater joy and less pain. Give us strength in the meantime. We love you and thank you for this chance to make a difference in his life. PLEASE, let it make a difference!
In the name of Jesus. Amen.

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