Maybe this is what happened.

Ok so as a preface to this entry I want you to be warned that some of you may not appreciate this entry...but I need to record this exciting moment in my life...and what better place to do that then the infinity of cyber space.

Yesterday, March 9, 2007 at 7:30am I had an endoscopy. I have horrid acid reflux, and after an "acid reflux attack from hell" (which included bowing to the porcelain god five minutes before a meeting in which I needed to impress someone) I decided that a doctor's visit was probably in order. The doctor's visit ended in an appointment for an endoscopy. So here is the play by play to my very exciting, and eventful day.

I was driven to the hospital by my dad who dropped me off. (we're the real independent types in our family...I would have driven myself, but you can't drive yourself home). I filled out paper work and they took me back to my room. I got to put on this very trendy hospital gown, and had my blood pressure taken. I hadn't really been feeling nervous at all, but when the nurse...Shelley (who was SO NICE...and had the best bedside manner ever...Jack Shephard could take a lesson in bedside manner from her) took the BP it was something like 137 over 98! HOLY COW!! She said I was probably nervous...and I agreed...although I wasn't really feeling it quite yet.

Then it was time for the other nurse to come and put in my IV!!! HOORAY! And it hurt...it really is so unpleasant...here they are sticking a tube into your skin and vein...not just a needle, but a tube...and its on the top of your hand...very sensitive area...it really kind of hurts!!! Then they put something into your blood stream that stings in your hand and shoulder! ARG! Not my favorite. I couldn't watch. Then they left me there to wait for my turn in the operating room. As I lay there all I could think was "I wish my mom were here." I'm not a mamma's girl, and like I said...highly independent...when it comes to certain things...doctors being one of them...but wow...I was ready to cry like a baby (and in all honesty I did shed a few tears). I don't particularly love doctors anyway...and so lying there in this room, by myself...unsure of who was going to be picking me up (either grandpa, or aunt Jennifer) I just wanted my mother. MOTHERS CAN NEVER BE OVERRATED!!

After a few minutes...and thank goodness only a few...I may have been sobbing like a baby if left alone too long...they wheeled me into the operating room. They hooked me up to a monitor for my BP, and heart rate. That was fun because they put these sticky tabs on your chest and one on your side, and then attach the machine...it was like in the "Pit of Despair" when Westley is hooked up to the machine. Anyway...I had a little green mouth/bite/guard/thing that went in my mouth so my teeth didn't clamp down when they put the camera and light down my throat. They hooked my up to oxygen...which is just delightful!!! and then it was time for the anesthetic. The last thing I remember is...waking up in the recovery room.

Actually...I do remember, vaguely, and more or less as a dream...that I gagged on something, and was coughing, and hearing one of the nurses tell me that I was ok and to breathe...but that is all. When I came to I was in a recovery room, and they had been done for over an hour...the whole procedure takes about ten minutes...but they drugs take a while to wear off. I started coming to, and noticed that my gown up by my shoulder was damp and yellow...must have been the coughing/gagging/chocking moment in which I was somewhat conscious...Shelley came in and helped me sit up, and drink some water...I was starting to feel much more coherent, and she went over the things that the doctor found, and what I need to start and stop eating/doing (that is not the exciting part at all). But I don't remember much of what was said. I do remember however that I was still hooked up to the heart monitor and my BP was being taken every ten or fifteen minutes. The last time it took my BP it was 120/81! Healthy as a horse! Sort of...

Finally after about 20 minutes of being coherent Shelley decided that I could get dressed. She put the call button right near the bed in case I needed it, and told me to try and sit while I got dressed. I felt fine and figured I would be ok to stand, and then noticed that when she left the curtain to my room wasn't closed all the way and I had no desire to get dressed for everyone to see, so I stood up to go shut it...she wasn't kidding about trying to sit as much as possible! I had to hold the bed and the wall all the way to the curtain and about ripped the curtain off the hooks when I went to close it because I was so woozy. I did manage to put my clothes back on (only had to strip from the waste up so it wasn't too difficult).

My grandpa ended up picking me up...which was really great of him...however...my grandfather is a very friendly, and talkative person (we have that in common...just not when I've been under sedation for a few hours)...so I was not in the mood to answer all his questions. He didn't know I was having this procedure probably until my aunt called him to pick me up, and he tends to worry about things like this...so there were a LOT of questions. Shelley came in and took out my IV, and AFTER she pulled it out, we noticed that I had a rash on my stomach and arms. So I had to have Benadryl...but it had to be given via an IV!!

SO another nurse came to put one in...She tired my left hand, but said she couldn't find a vein...I can see two right now, so I don't know what she was talking about...so she decided to do my left arm...She got it in...this time I did watch, but she couldn't find the vein...so here I am watching her move the tube and needle around under my skin for almost five minutes. She can't find it. SO we go to my right arm...which the Red Cross loves! And sure enough...she stuck that needle and tube in and out came the blood!...spilling down my arm on my sweat pants. She couldn't get the needle out fast enough and the syringe of saline solution in. It was kind of funny. Then came the Benadryl. To this point I was feeling very coherent, and thought I probably could walk to the car...the second that Benadryl hit my blood stream...I couldn't even hold my head up!...slurring my words, not complete sentences... it was great. The best part though was when Shelley was helping me into the car...

My grandfather...bless his heart...loves to flirt...he is a huge flirt! And Shelley was a very friendly, nice, cute nurse...so a prime target in his mind. He pulls the car up, and gets out...but instead of helping me into the car...he is flirting with Shelley and discussing the possibility of getting a colonoscopy at that office. I'm trying to get into the car...I slipped once...but Shelley was there...and he is just flirting away...classic! I loved it...except for that fact that I REALLY wanted to be in bed. As we drove home he talked all the way...mentioning something about Dick's Market...to which I have no idea what my response was.

Getting from the car to the house was pretty great too. Not since learning to walk as a young toddler, have a concentrated SO hard on getting one foot in front of the other. Once I was in, and had thanked my grandpa for the ride I went straight for the Luv Sac, and slept for the next eight hours or so.

I still feel a bit groggy and light headed today, but I think that has something to do with the fact that I've had very little to eat or drink since 5:30pm on Thursday March 8. All in all it was exciting, and I saw cool pictures of my throat. Maybe I will post those! (probably not). Not a horrible experience...I would have liked my mom to be there, but Shelley was a pretty good replacement if I couldn't have the real thing.