After months of uncertainty, Franklin Gutierrez was diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome. Gutierrez has been on the disabled list since spring training as doctors worked to discover what was causing his persistent stomach issues and discomfort. A trip to the Mayo Clinic, a renowned facility in Minnesota, finally gave Gutierrez a firm diagnosis this week, and hopefully put him on the road to recovery.
While Gutierrez knows it will take time to fully recover, and treating the illness is a constant battle, he was relieved to receive a diagnosis and know what's been causing his stomach pains (via Shannon Drayer).
"They found something that was very common, IBS." Gutierrez said at his locker, "So I need to take some medication and see if it works. At least I know something and it is treatable. It is not something that is going to go right away, it is going to take time."
We've seen Gutierrez diagnosed before and his stomach problems have come back again, so this appears to be a "proceed with caution" case. Gutierrez is on new medication and says he's feeling better, but he still has a ways to go.
I'm left wondering why IBS, a common ailment, wasn't discovered until he'd seen umpteen doctors and specialists. It's not a knock on the doctors he'd seen before, but it seems as if the diagnosis is a catch-all, and more may be yet to come. In the meantime, the Mariners, and the fans, will wait and hope for a speedy recovery from Gutierrez.
For more on Gutirrez's recovery, stay with this StoryStream or head over to SB Nation's Lookout Landing.