Peek-a-boo. Guess what. I just learned a new word. It's called megaesophagus. Have you heard of it? It's a big word, especially for a little kitty, but it's not as rare as you'd think, and I'm starting to understand it better.

Megaesophagus is a condition that causes regurgitation. When I swallow my food, it can't get all the way down to my stomach and comes back up.

My name is Jazzie. I'm only 5 months old, a mere five pounds, and I'm a Calico kitten mix. I live at North Shore Animal League America, and I'm in a program for special animals. It's called Help Me Heal. This program saves lives, and it's saving my life too. You see, if unmonitored, megaesophagus can be deadly. I could choke on my food and die, or I can even starve to death if the food never reaches my belly.

You see, my esophagus has become enlarged. A healthy esophagus acts like a muscle and pushes the food to the stomach, but with megaesophagus, the esophagus can't push the food to the belly. Instead it stays in the esophagus until it finally regurgitates. This isn't something I caught. It's just something I was born with, so I'm learning how to live with it.

Right now, my megaesophagus is in the early stages. That means that there is still a chance that it could resolve over the next several months. There is also a chance, and it's likely that I may have it forever. It's still a little early to tell. But I know a couple of things for sure: