The results are in...

...and I am in such a hurry, I cannot explain everything right now. I will be posting later on tonight so please stay tuned. I have not forgotten about sharing everything with you guys, I am simply pressed for time. We've got good and bad news. All of which the Lord already knew.

Post coming TONIGHT.

UPDATE time:

Ok, guys. So here's the deal.

We have both "good" and "bad" news.

I will start with the "good" because it truly is very GOOD.

The biopsy for my colon wall came in and I am completely NEGATIVE for Crohn's Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. The best case scenario for the bleeding was, in fact, true. I had a very RARE (experienced by about only 5% of the population) reaction to the strong dose of Cipro I was taking.

The biopsy diagnosed me with: Pseudomembranous Colitis. This is an infection of the large intestine (colon) related to an overgrowth of Clostridium difficile bacteria.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

The Clostridium difficile bacteria is normally present in the intestine. However, it may overgrow when antibiotics are taken. The bacteria release a powerful toxin that causes the symptoms. The lining of the colon becomes inflamed and bleeds.

Risk factors include:

• Advanced age
• Antibiotic use***************
• Chemotherapy
• Medications that suppress the immune system
• Recent surgery
• Personal history of pseudomembranous colitis

Symptoms:

• Abdominal cramps (mild to severe)
• Bloody stools
• Fever
• Urge to have a bowel movement
• Watery diarrhea

Beautiful right? Blood, diarrhea, cramps.... All of these symptoms were a large part of my life for about a week here in Guatemala. The great news is, I am no longer bleeding, and I will recuperate completely from this. I should not have any foreseeable problems in the future regarding my colon wall.

OK, on to the rest...

The "bad" news. I put everything in quotes because I simply can't decide what is good and bad news anymore. No one really knows what will and will not turn into something beautiful in the long run.

The polyp they found in my colon could be one of many. Since they had to stop the procedure prematurely from all the bleeding, they only got to see about 70 cm of intestine before halting the procedure.

The polyp biopsy revealed that the tissue found is a tubular adenoma. This is the "bad" news because this is the type of polyp that can progress into cancer quite easily depending on many factors.


"Polyps that become cancerous are called adenomas. Adenomas account for approximately 75% of all colon polyps. There are several subtypes of adenomas that differ primarily in the way the cells of the polyp are assembled when they are examined under the microscope. Thus, there are tubular, villous, or tubulo-villous adenomas. Villous adenomas are the most likely to become cancerous, and tubular adenomas are the least likely.


Although this does not pose an immediate threat to me, I am completely unsure of how many polyps I may have and at what stages of differentiation they are at because of my unfinished exam. This will require another colonoscopy and the removal and examination of all growths found. This is not something I should put off or postpone until the end of my trip here in Guatemala given the risk factors associated with these types of growths. The deal is now to find out what is my next best step.

Here are some facts:

1) I will be here in Guatemala until AT LEAST August the 6th. I will stay here at the school until this Saturday and will be picked up by my friend and roommate Heather from Salud Y Paz. I will spend a week there getting familiarized with the clinic, meeting the medical team, and visiting Panajachel.

2) I don't have medical insurance in the United States. This poses a problem in regards to what options are available to me States side. It is, on the other hand, possible to find someone willing to help with the procedure. This would be MUCH more preferable to have the procedures and exams done in my home country, but it may not be feasible. If I do take this option, it is probable that I will have the procedure done in the U.S., rest a while, and then return to Guatemala as it is a simple recovery process.

3) I could have the procedure done here and simply swallow the cost. I'm pretty sure everything in total would run about $700. The deal is this, I would not like to have this done here, so I am praying fervently for open doors in  Panama City for me to run through.

4) The Lord knows what is best for me. Had I have not suffered such a rare side effect to the drugs I was taking, I would have never gotten the colonoscopy in the first place. By the time it would have been "appropriate" to have a colonoscopy in the States, it would have been far too late of a discovery for me. I cannot even express my gratefulness to God for the BLESSING of pseudomembranous colitis. It sounds crazy, but I'm sure you can understand. Already Guatemala is proving to be a life-saver.

5) As for the future, it is kind of uncertain. I have no plans. I have no idea where I'll be in the next three weeks or in what shape I'll be in. For now, I'm just resting in the Lord completely. He knows my form. He made me. He already knows how this will work out.

Thank you again for all of your support and prayers. If you have any encouragement at all feel FREE to comment or e-mail me. This is all I know for now. If I end up leaving the country for exams and procedures, my great desire is to return promptly. This also, I am leaving in the hands of God.

Love, love, and more love,

<3

Cody