Faith, March 2013
Much has transpired since the last time I posted anything on this blog. The biggest news is that at the tail end of January 2013, we were able to get Faith into see Dr. Harnsberger, a GI specialist at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. Looking over all of the testing that has been performed on Faith over the last year, along with her current symptoms, Dr. Harnsberger has also added an additional Digestive Tract Paralysis (DTP) diseases diagnoses to the Gastroparesis. Faith also has Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction (CIP) which prevent her intestines from working properly as well. Dr. Harnsberger also changed Faith's DTP classification from idiopathic to post-surgical since Faith's symptoms definitely began after her appendix burst and the surgery for it. She strongly feels that it is the result of the infection from the burst appendix that permanently damaged her Vagus nerve and probably other nerves and muscles in her abdomen and pelvic areas as well.
The following is information on Faith's new diagnosis:
Chronic Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction: A rare disorder of gastrointestinal (GI) motility where coordinated contractions in the intestinal tract become altered and inefficient. When this happens, nutritional requirements cannot be adequately met. In CIP, the intestines react as if there is a true mechanical obstruction or blockage, however, when testing is performed, no physical evidence of blockage is found. Rather, the problem lies in how the muscles or nerves in the intestines work. In Faith's case, her CIP is neurogenic (arising from the nerves) in nature. For now, Faith is able to follow the Gastroparesis diet, though she has moved to two "meals" that consist of soft or liquid nutrition only.
Faith has lost nearly 30 pounds since her original diagnosis of Gastroparesis six months ago which means her nutritional absorption is low. I can also see this in her lack of energy. We have an appointment with Dr. Harnsberger at the end of May (unless things take a dramatic turn for the worse). Hopefully her rate of weight loss will slow down before then, or she may end up on a feeding tube.
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