This is a medicine to help Cadel fight off his GORD or Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease, really it is a big word for reflux or heartburn. It may sound simple and not harmful but in Cadel's case it was making him really unwell and we think causing more then usual lung infections. What was happening was the reflux would make him vomit and then he would aspirate or breathe in part of that vomit into his lungs causing a yucky environment for nasty bugs to grow.
So Cadel was put on Omeprazole as it helps to settle the stomach.
When that didn't completely stop the reflux Drs performed a procedure called a Fundoplication, this is where part of the stomach is wrapped around the entrance to the stomach so as to stop the reflux. It wasn't an easy process for the little man because for weeks he was unable even to drink water for fear of aspiration so had to have IV nutrition called TPN. Even after the procedure was done the process of going from fluids, to purees to solid foods took a while.
Thanks though to the Drs for doing this procedure we now think that this is why he has kept so well. He still takes the Omeprazole though to keep his stomach settled and it also helps to activate the enzymes that he takes to absorb his food, sometimes the side effects pay off!
K
Picture of fundoplication.
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K