So, This Happened (TW: medical procedure)

I may have mentioned my ulcer.

I've got this ulcer, caused by my hiatal hernia, caused by having a baby -- well, by being pregnant.


See, in a certain number of people, the gap in your diaphragm where your esophagus goes through, from the stomach up through to the throat to the mouth, is larger than it should be. No harm no foul, mostly, but when women get pregnant, sometimes part of the stomach (sometimes all the stomach!) can be pushed up through the diaphragm by the baby.

Other things besides being pregnant can also cause this to happen.

But anyway! Once this happens, you've got trouble, in the form of acid reflux, and GERD, which can cause all sorts of charming problems, including my nice little ulcer.

How to fix this?

The surgeon goes in, pushes the stomach back through the gap in the diaphragm, and then stitches up the gap, making it much smaller. Eh voila!

That sounds okay to me.

But first!

First they have to make sure my esophagus is still functional enough that this surgery is worth doing.

What does that mean, degalar?

It means an esophageal manometry is what it means.

"During the test, a thin, flexible, lubricated tube will be passed through your nose and advance into your stomach... Mild, brief gagging may occur... you may experience some discomfort..."

Some discomfort my ass, y'all.

This -- a thin flexible tube passed through the nose -- is how forced tube feeding is done. (A) This is definitely torture. And (b) I have incredible respect for any prisoner who continues a hunger strike after undergoing this once.

I don't care if I'm dying. There is no way on earth I would let someone do this to me again.