Thread by @NinjaMafia3015

A little thread that I thought I should share about something I struggle with. I have Eosinophilic Esophagitis, and it is a reasonably manageable but at-times horrific and terrifying disease. 1/

Simply put, my esophagus doesn’t effectively push food down on its own, so I have to have something to drink to wash down everything. Commonly my eating practices include taking a small drink after each and every bite of food to ensure it doesn’t get stuck. 2/

If food does get stuck and my drink isn't pushing it down, I have to find a restroom so I can make the food come back up. 3/

When I go to restaurants, I'm usually one of the last to finish eating because of how long it takes me, especially since I have to keep asking my server to refill my water glass. If I don't have a drink, I don't eat. 4/

In any restaurant I visit, I am always aware of where the restrooms are, just in case something goes wrong. I take a pill every day and have had my esophagus stretched multiple times. Even with the procedures and medication, sometimes things go wrong. 5/

Twice I've had to go to an ER because I couldn't get a piece of food to go down or come back up, and it prevented me from getting any liquids down, including my own saliva. It's a painfully uncomfortable process. 6/

Even more painful than that, however, is that I've experienced the feeling of drowning three times, and all three of them are the most terrified I've ever been. 7/

In all three occasions, I had a piece of food that was being stubborn and, after drinking water to push it down, the water sat on top of the food at the top of my esophagus. 8/

When this happens, and the upper part of the esophagus is filled with water that won't move, multiple things happen almost simultaneously. 9/

First, the water at the top of the esophagus blocks the airway, so I can't take a breath. Immediately when I can't breathe due to water, my body thinks I'm drowning and responds accordingly. 10/

All muscles associated with respiration go into Code Red and begin contracting together. Because of this, there's immense pain in my chest, neck, and head as the muscles work overtime. 11/

Adrenaline courses through my body, causing me to want to breathe even harder. I end up coughing and trying to breathe at the same time, which is even more painful because I can't do either of those things due to the water. 12/

Finally, my body tries to push that water out wherever it can, nose or mouth, as quickly as possible. I can now take a breath and, although this whole process might be a matter of 10-20 seconds, it feels like minutes. Excruciating minutes of a drowning-like experience. 13/

EOE may not be a well-known disease, and people who don't have it may not realize just how terrible it can be at times, not only for me but for my wife, who cringes anytime I cough or have the hiccups while eating. 14/

It's a dangerous, frightening, and sometimes embarrassing disease that I wouldn't wish on anyone. 15/15
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