Tuesday 9 March 2010

Are they just having fun with words?

Sometimes you wonder if the medical profession has a serious dose of tongue in cheek when they name things. Both drug names and, it seems, surgical procedures often have ridiculous names. Perhaps it is to maintain a sense of mystique and exclusivity, to allow doctors to talk to each other without the patient understanding, or maybe it's just a laugh...

For example, the official name for the operation I am due to have is a Laproscopic Nissen Fundoplication. Fundoplication?? What? That's so much a made-up silly word.

For those of you interested in what it involves I found a video of the procedure online: Here

Looks to be...er...fun! Nice stomach wrapping technique.

It has left me in a bit of a slough of despond for the last few days anticipating this procedure. The things that I found hardest post transplant were the pain and discomfort, but also the sickness and problems swallowing. To be faced with another operation that will give me some pain (but obviously a lot less and less long lasting) but then a big dose of sickness and problems swallowing is just such a depressing prospect. I know that it is for the best in the long term and it will keep me alive for longer but I feel so settled and normal now and don't want that taken away.

Ah well. I shall await the letters from Addenbrookes - initially it will be an endoscopy to have a good look around (within March) and then the op in a 2-3 month time frame.

On a happier note we had a great weekend in Oxfordshire, visiting Vicky's mum and sister. Sunday was a glorious, sunny day and we went for a walk in the Chiltern Hills for about an hour and a half - I expect Vicky will upload some photos sometime.

2 comments:

  1. Just had a quick look at the first minute of the video - the first shot they show of the op (at 37s) is really weird because I didn't get the scale at first and it was like some huge tunnelling machine but in a squishy cave! Threw me completely! Also, the instruments look a bit like insect mouth parts. So tonight I will have nightmares of giant insects boring into my guts.
    Mmm, enjoy that op, Will!
    p.s. I think my budgets need some fundoplication!

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