What Did You Say?

Good morning everyone.

To those that knew about my health crisis, thank you for your prayers. For those that didn’t, I got home late yesterday. Here is the explanation;

It really started 6 months ago. Had my quarterly doctor’s appointment,  and all my lab numbers were great. I was feeling great, and both the doctor and I were very happy and encouraged that my diet and exercise were working. My next quarterly appointment in December cause us all a lot of concern. My lab numbers where good, except that they showed I was very anemic, and my Iron was very low. I was not feeling good, constantly feeling weak, and thought that my vertigo was getting worse. A week before my doctor’s appointment, I had passed out going to the front door to respond to someone there. I have no idea how long was out, and when I came too, I was unable to move anything and was very disassociated. The rest of that day I felt weak and dizzy, but the next day I felt great. Christmas came and went with no problems, and my dizziness I just wrote off as vertigo. During this period I was also having a lot of pain across my diaphragm at night, and was very constipated. My waste was very dry and black when I could have a bowl movement.

My doctor was angry that I had not gone to the hospital, and ordered a bunch of test. They included several EKG’s, wearing a heart monitor for 48 hours, having a detailed ultrasound of my stomach, plus other test yet to me performed, one being an upper EG scan. The ultrasound told them my Liver is enlarged and I was having distress in my upper GI tract.

Last Friday I woke up feeling very dizzy and weak as if I were getting the flu. It got worse throughout the day. About 4:15, I went in to take my shower, and passed out in the shower. when I woke up I was very disoriented like the first time, and was shaking badly. Yes, I was not the man of faith I thought I was. I was very afraid. Based on what was on FOX NEWS CHANNEL, I had been out 15 to 20 minutes. I was alone in the apartment. I finished my shower sitting down, dried myself and got dress.

I called Jill (who had gone to the doctor) to see when she was coming home. I told her what happened, and she call out son, who came over to be with me until she got home. He drove us to the VA Hospital in Long Beach. They found I had blood in my stool, and was more anemic than my blood test before my doctor’s appointment. My EKG was normal, so they believed that I was bleeding someone in my stomach, and or, my GI tract. (I had a Colonoscopy November 2013 – 6 polyps). They admitted me.

Later that night, while going to the bathroom, I passed out again. That morning they started giving me fluids, and from Saturday through Sunday, they gave me four units of blood just to get my blood levels in the normal range. They had my fasting 100% because they knew they would have to do a EG scan (the scope down the throat into the stomach and small intestines). I was fasted for over 48 hours. During that time they gave me special medication through the IV designed to coat my stomach and stop the bleeding.

Monday, about noon, they put me out and did the scan of my stomach and upper GI. I indeed did have an ulcer about the size of a quarter in my stomach, but no other place. The medication had stopped the bleeding so they did not need to cauterize the ulcer. After having food, and tracking my blood count, I was giving the news that I could go home. Got home yesterday late afternoon.

PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS HEALING HANDS UPON ME.

Now for the reason for the ulcer, and they suspected this before the scan. For years I have been taking NSAIDs for pain (NSAIDs are Advil – IBUPROFEN – and related pain relievers, like Naproxen). Not one doctor ever told me that NSAIDs eat away at your stomachs lining causing ulcers and bleeding. None of them ever told me you need to take these with food to lessen the corrosive effects. Some of you know the ongoing battle I have had with my back. Because NSAIDs are great for reducing inflammation, they have been the most effective for my back and arthritis.

I am still very weak. It will take time to build my system back up. As I am typing this I am feeling like I went to lay down and take a nap. That brings me to the next reason for writing this to everyone;

If you are taking NSAIDs and didn’t know the effects on your stomach, please use my experience to save you the same crisis I just had. Please pass this along to those you know about NSAIDs.

Thank you for your patience in reading my long letter. Thank you again for those that have prayed, and thank you for your continued prayers. May God’s richest blessings be yours and you by flooded with God Himself as you continue to walk with Jesus.

In His Service,

Jerry Broussard