Snow and barium!

Didn't get the chance to post about Wednesday night's snow yesterday, as I was at the MD. But, it was actual snow. It even stuck a little bit to the ground before melting. We took a brief walk through the neighborhood, stuck out our tongues to catch snowflakes, and frolicked in a rare Houston winter wonderland.

Yesterday was far less pleasant. I arrived at the MD, took care of my bloodwork and chest x ray, and then went to go sit in the waiting room of the catscan area until it was close enough to the time of my appointment to check in. Catscans are quite a process, with an hour and a half of prep time before you can actually do the scan. I finally checked in around 1:40 for a 2:10 prep time start. This ain't my first rodeo, so I know that going to the hospital involves lots and lots of waiting. They are very rarely running on time. My hope was that this would be the one day, the Christmas miracle, much like the rare snow miracle the night before, that they would actually be on schedule so that I could make it out of there in time to get to D's holiday cocktail party.

Well, let's just say the MD ran predictably. I didn't get called until around 2:55, and they gave me my first cup of liquid barium. Mmmmmm, berry flavored barium! They even call it a "berry smoothie" on the front of the bottle, as though it makes it better or more palatable. I got called for my second cup at 3:25, and although I was scheduled for a 3:40 catscan, and I knew I wouldn't make that time, I still thought I would be out of there within a reasonable amount of time.

Wrong!

4pm comes and goes. 4:30 comes and goes. 5:00 comes and goes. At this point, it's been an hour and a half since my last bottle of barium, and I am supposed to have one bottle every half hour over an hour and a half. D's party has already started at this point, and I am losing hope that I will be able to attend, but I am still hopeful that maybe we can have some fun later in the night. I ask the nurses for the umpteenth time when I'll be called back into the "inner" waiting room. Oh, that's right. I was in the outer waiting room, I hadn't even been called back into the inner waiting room, where you change into scrubs, drink your last bottle of barium, have your IV inserted, and generally wait a little closer to where the machines are located.

Finally, at 5:20 I'm called back into the inner waiting room. I change into my scrubs, get my warm blanket, and settle into another chair for another wait. I get called to have my IV inserted, and since there had been such a lapse in time from when I had my last bottle of barium..... I got two :). Gross, yuck, gross!!!!!!!

I waited in the inner waiting room for another hour. For some reason, it seemed to be lung and throat cancer day in the catscan area. Never before have I heard so many voiceboxes or such..... hacking. It's the best stop-smoking campaign I've ever seen. I'd prefer not to have a gaping hole in my throat at any point in my life.

Finally, around 6:30ish, I get called for my scan. I haven't eaten since 8am, since you can't eat for a few hours before you start your prep, the barium was causing me horrific stomach pains, and the..... additional barium they give me while I'm in the machine didn't help things either. The iodine contrast also felt funny.

The scan itself only takes about 20 minutes, so it was the most efficient part of my day. I rolled out of the MD around 7, went home, bathed, and crawled right into bed. I missed D's holiday party, was in no condition to have fun, and just wanted to sleep. D came home from his event after I called and said I was done at this hospital, and I got really weepy when I saw him. For as often as I do this, I still get so emotional about it. I hate the hospital. I have come to loathe it, because I feel like a sick person when I am there. I'm feeling better today, still a little uncomfortable from the barium, but generally alright. I feel like a big, huge baby for whining about it.... but I'm tired. I know this is what I have to do for my health, but it's still tough.

So, now begins the waiting game for my results appointment on Tuesday. Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I'm very lucky to have a full, fun weekend ahead of me to keep me plenty distracted.

And after that lengthy, downer post, a happy Friday to everyone! :)