Finally had POEM done for achalasia

I had my procedure done yesterday evening, mind you let me add in a bit of backstory. As well as my on going achalasia since November 2016, my symptoms after my balloon dialation in March had gotten worse to the point where I was severely dehydrated from being unable to drink even a sip of water without throwing up. Last week I ended up in emergency where they put me on IV fluids and tried to insert a feeding tube because I haven't eaten and I only urinate drops once a day from the lack of liquids. I couldn't manage to keep down the tube from having a sore throat from throwing up consistantly. Altogether I'd lost 15 kilos since this. It affected my job and I had to take the last two weeks off to stay home in the uh-ehm bliss of my condition.

Come to my POEM surgery, I had been direly looking forward to. My hopes dwindled when they couldn't find a bed for me, looking towards post-poning my surgery, however my excellent surgion, Profressor Michael Bourke who specializes in treating achalasia demanded for a bed and within moments I was inside the theatre. Come to regaining conscious, I'd felt no pain apart from the discomfort of my BP cuff and cannulas as well as having potassium since my levels were really down and that hurt more than the alleged chest pains of post-POEM. I did end up having chest pains later in the night during my overnight stay, but panadol had fixed that. The next day I was nil by mouth until they did the swallow test on me to see if my staples were intact which they were and afterwards I had a cold drink of apple juice and let me tell you I cried like a baby. I've forgotten the taste of apple juice, or juice for that matter. Even water was like drinking from the fountain of youth it was the most delicious thing I've had. Made me really think how for granted we take such simple things in life. I had no trouble swallowing down liquids. I haven't tried solids yet, but I'm told to start off with soft foods for the next two weeks and progress from there. I may be too overly presumptious about POEM working for me, but it did for now and I'm going to cherish it for as long as my throat allows! Thanks to Professor Bourke for being my solution during the darkest time of my life. He's highly respected here in Australia and I hear he does POEM overseas too, so I highly suggest him!

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