(Can you BELIEVE it's been four years?! Well, not yet. But close.)
Anyway.
We started at 8:30 in the cardiology clinic, where we did the ECHO and the EKG. The ECHO isn't hard, it's just super-uncomfortable for me. The tech has to press the transducer down pretty hard and these are sensitive areas--like, on bone. So it's not the most fun ever. The EKG takes longer to set up than it does to actually read!
After that it was ultrasound time. Fox and the Hound was on the TV, which was awesome, because I haven't seen that movie since I was about 8. I always mix up the names of the Fox and the Hound.
After that I had the bone density scan, which tells us if my bones are dense enough or if I need more calcium treatments. I take boniva right now to help with calcium absorption. So we'll see what Dr. A says about it on Monday.
After this I had a break for lunch, which was Subway in the outpatient center food court. It was recently remodeled and this was my first time down there since then. Very nice! I read The Red Tent while I ate.
Around 12:30 I headed back over to radiology for the CT scan and the VQ scan. Both of these are pretty easy. Teh CT scan just involves laying there and inhaling/exhaling appropriately. The VQ scan is a little more complicated. First you breath in a nebulizer treatment, then lay on the table for two different scans. The second one is a pain, because you have to keep your arms above your head. Ow.
Then comes the needles (only one of the day), when some sort of radioactive isotope is injected. Then you do the arms above head thing again for 14 minutes. (The VQ scan, due to the fun drugs, takes place in nuclear medicine. I always loved that name for a department.) I finished around 2, which was way ahead of schedule.
On Monday I see Dr. Astor and I'm sure he'll break all these down for me. I also get blood work, chest XR, and full PFTs. Most of this data gets sent to UNOS for their records (Yes, I have a record in Richmond. Go me!)
So that was my exciting day. Bet none of the rest of you were injected with radioactive things today!
2 comments:
I get to be "radioactive" the end of September. :) Congrats on it (almost) being 4 years!!
I hate, hate, hate ECHOs! I have intercostal chondritis, so them pushing on my ribs hurts, and then my arm always falls asleep from laying on it for too long while they do it.
Though last time I went straight to the lab for blood work afterword, so I didn't even feel the needle since my arm was asleep :)
Post a Comment