"You rush a Miracle Man, you get rotten miracles." Miracle Max (Billy Crystal)

Remember the scene from the Princess Bride where Miracle Max's wife asks him if he thinks the miracle pill will work? His reply was "it will take a miracle." Well, that's how I feel right now and I honestly believe that they are making this up as they go along.

Update from yesterday...

I spent most of the day at the Mayo Clinic again. I wish I could say that it was all in appointments and we were able to get this situation corrected, but that was not to be. One appointment at 10:15 and the next at 1:30, and a lot of down time in between. The good news here is that we found out that some friends of our were also at Mayo and we were able to connect up with them. So thank you Michelle and Jeff for coming over to the Gonda building to spend some time with us. It was great to see you both again.

The morning appointment was to have X-rays taken. The appointment didn't take that long, but it was eventful to say the least. I had to drink this white powdery liquid called barium. Here is how the conversation with the X-ray tech went to the best of my recollection.

X-Ray tech: "You need to drink the barium when we tell you and we will watch it as goes down to your stomach".
Me. "I don't have a stomach."
X-Ray tech. "yea that's right, it should still work." (REALLY?)
A little later....
X-Ray tech. "I need you to roll onto your stomach and drink some more."
Me. "I don't have a stomach."
X-Ray tech. "You know what I mean."
Me. "I do, but since I do not have a stomach and the flaps that hold stuff down, if I roll on my stomach I will throw up all the barium you have had me drink."
X-Ray tech. "I still need you to try."
Me. "OK." (That's me being cooperative.)
Me. (After rolling on my stomach) "I'm need something I am going to throw up"
Me. (after throwing up, as I hand the container back to the X-Ray tech.) "Here, it is probably still good. Use it with your next patient". (That's me trying to be funny)
X-Ray tech. "We would never do that." (He so missed the joke.)
X-Ray tech. "We are going to try a barium pill, Here swallow this and we will watch it go down."
Me. "OK"
X-Ray tech. (and these were his exact words). "Shit, it got stuck"
X-Ray tech. "This is important, You can not lie down or take a nap for two hours. The pill will just dissolve on it's own in your stomach."
Me. "I don't have a stomach."
X-Ray tech. "I know, but it is the same thing. It will dissolve and you will be fine, However if you feel groggy and need to lie down please flag down one of the volunteers. Have them page us and someone will come get you."
Me. "What the hell did you just have me swallow."
X-Ray tech."You will be fine, we are done now."

Later in the afternoon when we met with Dr. Kendrick I told him about the pill getting stuck. One of his minions piped in and said "Well, they went down and removed it didn't they?". To which I replied 'NO" and the minion said "WHAT?" To which Dr. Kendrick responds, calmly I might add, "Its been a few hours you are fine."  What the hell did they give me?

The meeting with Dr. Kendrick was about options. After reviewing the x-rays we came to the conclusion that there are three options available to me. Number one keep going with the dilations and hope one of them holds. Number two put in a stent. And third, redo the surgery, cut the scared section out and try again.
Well I can tell you that option number three was removed from the table fairly fast. It is still an option especially if options one and two do not keep the strictures from reforming. But we are not going to be talking about that anytime soon.

So I head back down to Mayo on Tuesday. They are going to put me under again and do yet another endoscopy (number eight for those of you keeping score). It is as that point when the decision will be made on what option (dilation or stent) they will use. In other words, lets put Roger back under and we will make it up as we go.

So here we go again or in the words of Miracle Max..  "Have fun storming the castle!"

The moment is a masterpiece,
The weight of indecision's in the air
Standing there, the symbol and the sum of all that's me
It's just a travesty, Towering, blocking out the light and blinding me
I want to see
(The Wall  Kansas)