Not all x-rays are equal!
My gastroenterologist and I met for the first time on Tuesday January 19th. He had me ready for a colonoscopy Thursday January 21st and then one week later as he gave me the results of that test he explained that he needed to see a few things in my digestive tract more clearly, so he ordered what he called "an x-ray."
Now, when I think of x-ray, I think of the black and white pictures taken of my insides when I broke my arm at age 15. I think of Grey's Anatomy when the doctors are looking at a wall of these black and white images. But what I dealt with yesterday, as I went in for my "x-ray" is nothing short of pure torture, and not at all like any previous knowledge I've had about x-rays.
I should've known when my gastroenterologist's assistant called me to set up the appointment. She explained that I would drink some liquid and then they would take a picture of it inside of me. As she told me it could take up to 5 hours, I was a little shocked, but nonetheless I packed a magazine and two short books I've been wanting to read and thought of how nice it might be to be stuck at a hospital reading since my quiet time these days is much too short on any given day.
Never did it occur to me that any amount of time spent at the hospital for this x-ray would be nothing short of miserable. It's just a picture, right?
Once appropriately clothed in a ratty hospital gown, I followed the x-ray technician to the room where my "study" would take place. I did not hear it called a study until Dr. A walked in and explained it to me. I still thought this was just going to involve drinking something and photographing my insides. Well I couldn't have been more wrong...
Here I'll recount for you the exact words and actions of Dr. A...I was silent (and stunned speechless I might add!) so all of the words spoken were his.
"Drink this effervescent liquid. You will feel like you need to burp, but don't allow yourself. We need the air to go into your stomach to distend it a bit and see better"
I take the "shot" of effervescence. Feel queasy immediately as I swallow a hundred burps. He takes pictures asking me to turn from side to side (I'm standing).
I'm then handed a blue bottle of barium. "Take a mouthful, but hold it until I tell you to swallow" SICK! Let me tell you, holding what tastes like chalk with a tiny bit of water is absolutely disgusting.
"Oh wait! You burped! A lot of air has escaped! You burped!" I shook my head no, but he did not believe me. He accused, "You must not know when you burp!" Um, sir, I thought, I'm pretty sure I'd know if I burped because my stomach is so distended that I appear 7 months pregnant and I'm terribly uncomfortable...
My thoughts are interrupted by the technician helping Dr. A handing me another shot of effervescence--this one TWICE as strong as the last!
I swallow, Dr. A leads me through a series of more holding barium in my mouth, swallowing at his command, etc.
Then he tells me to hold on a moment while the table I'm leaning against turns from vertical to horizontal. That's right folks--and I was going to "turn" right along with it. No seat belts existed on this crazy "ride" and at this point from the effervescent "shots" I've been forced to take combined with chalky barium I'm already feeling like I'm going to puke all over Dr. A, the x-ray machines, the technician and the rest of the room we're in.
Though terrified and feeling quite queasy, I have to admit, the "ride" wasn't as bad as I thought...once it was over that is.
Now lying on my back, Dr. A instructs, "I need you to roll two times like a cement truck to swish and swash the liquid in your stomach around." WHAT? Are you KIDDING me? Now I am not only the closest to throwing up that I've ever been without actually doing it, but I have to "SWISH AND SWASH"???? (See, I told you this was torture!!)
Dr. A takes more photos. I feel more and more uncomfortable. Finally he leaves the room and the tech informs me that part 1 of the study is completed. I may sit up and when I ask, I'm told I may now burp to allow some of this air to come up; however, while all I can think of is how to calm my stomach and how to make myself burp, that tech hands me a pink bottle of barium liquid and tells me I have 10 minutes to drink it before part 2 of the study begins.
Just as I chuckle inside thinking, gosh and I thought I was here for an x-ray, I let out a burp that was so long I could've named all 50 states during it. No kidding, I'm dead serious! And believe me, contrary to what Dr. A accused, I most certainly DO know when I burp!!
Now though I certainly feel more comfortable, and less as if I'm going to spew, I have to drink down the 2nd bottle of barium (at least I don't have to wait with it in my mouth this time!) and as I'm doing so I look down at my stomach and start to sweat with anxiety because I'm honestly not sure at that point if I'm going to be able to fit back into the clothes I wore to the hospital--that's how huge my stomach looked!
After a series of easy x-rays, the ones like I thought I was getting--simple quick pictures, Dr. A came back in and was ready for round 2. He pulls out a paddle with a long handle, blows up a rubber ball on its end and informs me that he's going to push down on my stomach to see some of my small intestine.
That's right folks, just as I'm feeling a bit less queasy though still incredibly bloated, he's now going to PUSH on my stomach with the ball at the end of a paddle!!!
For the remaining ten minutes I wince in pain as he pushes and prods, taking pictures all the while. The moment Dr. A says, "Ok, we're done; you may sit up now" I am so relieved I almost laugh out of not knowing how else to handle the intense relief.
Dr. A told me he'd be sending the results of my study to my gastroenterologist and I should hear back some news about them Wednesday (today).
As I walked out of the hospital and to my car, I smirked to myself thinking, "and I thought I was going to sit down and read a book today" hahaha!
Now, when I think of x-ray, I think of the black and white pictures taken of my insides when I broke my arm at age 15. I think of Grey's Anatomy when the doctors are looking at a wall of these black and white images. But what I dealt with yesterday, as I went in for my "x-ray" is nothing short of pure torture, and not at all like any previous knowledge I've had about x-rays.
I should've known when my gastroenterologist's assistant called me to set up the appointment. She explained that I would drink some liquid and then they would take a picture of it inside of me. As she told me it could take up to 5 hours, I was a little shocked, but nonetheless I packed a magazine and two short books I've been wanting to read and thought of how nice it might be to be stuck at a hospital reading since my quiet time these days is much too short on any given day.
Never did it occur to me that any amount of time spent at the hospital for this x-ray would be nothing short of miserable. It's just a picture, right?
Once appropriately clothed in a ratty hospital gown, I followed the x-ray technician to the room where my "study" would take place. I did not hear it called a study until Dr. A walked in and explained it to me. I still thought this was just going to involve drinking something and photographing my insides. Well I couldn't have been more wrong...
Here I'll recount for you the exact words and actions of Dr. A...I was silent (and stunned speechless I might add!) so all of the words spoken were his.
"Drink this effervescent liquid. You will feel like you need to burp, but don't allow yourself. We need the air to go into your stomach to distend it a bit and see better"
I take the "shot" of effervescence. Feel queasy immediately as I swallow a hundred burps. He takes pictures asking me to turn from side to side (I'm standing).
I'm then handed a blue bottle of barium. "Take a mouthful, but hold it until I tell you to swallow" SICK! Let me tell you, holding what tastes like chalk with a tiny bit of water is absolutely disgusting.
"Oh wait! You burped! A lot of air has escaped! You burped!" I shook my head no, but he did not believe me. He accused, "You must not know when you burp!" Um, sir, I thought, I'm pretty sure I'd know if I burped because my stomach is so distended that I appear 7 months pregnant and I'm terribly uncomfortable...
My thoughts are interrupted by the technician helping Dr. A handing me another shot of effervescence--this one TWICE as strong as the last!
I swallow, Dr. A leads me through a series of more holding barium in my mouth, swallowing at his command, etc.
Then he tells me to hold on a moment while the table I'm leaning against turns from vertical to horizontal. That's right folks--and I was going to "turn" right along with it. No seat belts existed on this crazy "ride" and at this point from the effervescent "shots" I've been forced to take combined with chalky barium I'm already feeling like I'm going to puke all over Dr. A, the x-ray machines, the technician and the rest of the room we're in.
Though terrified and feeling quite queasy, I have to admit, the "ride" wasn't as bad as I thought...once it was over that is.
Now lying on my back, Dr. A instructs, "I need you to roll two times like a cement truck to swish and swash the liquid in your stomach around." WHAT? Are you KIDDING me? Now I am not only the closest to throwing up that I've ever been without actually doing it, but I have to "SWISH AND SWASH"???? (See, I told you this was torture!!)
Dr. A takes more photos. I feel more and more uncomfortable. Finally he leaves the room and the tech informs me that part 1 of the study is completed. I may sit up and when I ask, I'm told I may now burp to allow some of this air to come up; however, while all I can think of is how to calm my stomach and how to make myself burp, that tech hands me a pink bottle of barium liquid and tells me I have 10 minutes to drink it before part 2 of the study begins.
Just as I chuckle inside thinking, gosh and I thought I was here for an x-ray, I let out a burp that was so long I could've named all 50 states during it. No kidding, I'm dead serious! And believe me, contrary to what Dr. A accused, I most certainly DO know when I burp!!
Now though I certainly feel more comfortable, and less as if I'm going to spew, I have to drink down the 2nd bottle of barium (at least I don't have to wait with it in my mouth this time!) and as I'm doing so I look down at my stomach and start to sweat with anxiety because I'm honestly not sure at that point if I'm going to be able to fit back into the clothes I wore to the hospital--that's how huge my stomach looked!
After a series of easy x-rays, the ones like I thought I was getting--simple quick pictures, Dr. A came back in and was ready for round 2. He pulls out a paddle with a long handle, blows up a rubber ball on its end and informs me that he's going to push down on my stomach to see some of my small intestine.
That's right folks, just as I'm feeling a bit less queasy though still incredibly bloated, he's now going to PUSH on my stomach with the ball at the end of a paddle!!!
For the remaining ten minutes I wince in pain as he pushes and prods, taking pictures all the while. The moment Dr. A says, "Ok, we're done; you may sit up now" I am so relieved I almost laugh out of not knowing how else to handle the intense relief.
Dr. A told me he'd be sending the results of my study to my gastroenterologist and I should hear back some news about them Wednesday (today).
As I walked out of the hospital and to my car, I smirked to myself thinking, "and I thought I was going to sit down and read a book today" hahaha!
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