Long Day.....

Yesterday (Jan 18) I went to Good Sam to have some procedures done.  My mom picked me up and we arrived at the hospital at 8 AM. 

First I went to have blood drawn. 

After that we headed to have my MUGA scan done.  (A MUGA scan is performed by attaching a radioactive substance, Technetium 99, to red blood cells, then injecting the red blood cells into the patient’s bloodstream. The patient is then placed under a special camera (a gamma camera), which is able to detect the low-level radiation being given off by the Technetium-labelled red cells. Since the red blood cells (including those that are radio-labelled) fill the cardiac chambers, the image produced by the gamma camera is essentially an outline of those chambers. With some fancy computer manipulation, the the final product is a movie of the heart beating.)

Then we headed to have my Pulmonary Function Test (Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) are a series of different breathing tests led by a trained pulmonary function technologist, usually done at a hospital or clinic. Most of these breathing tests are done by blowing into a tube while sitting in a chair.) And let me tell you I did not like this test at all.  It was hard to breath so many different ways so many times.  I was in there for over an hour. 

The reason for these two tests are because the Chemotherapy I am getting can affect both my lungs and my heart. So they need to make sure both are strong enough to handle the Chemo.

So now we are at 11 AM
We then went to get my bone marrow biopsy. I got called back for prep to a small hospital room at 11:45. They asked tons of medical history then put my IV in. My test wasn't scheduled until 2 PM so my mom and I just sat there and talked. (FYI - I was starving at this point. I had a Carnation Instant Breakfast before I left the house. Then no more food or drinks allowed) At about 2 ish they carted me off to a "patient holding" area. I then sat there until 3. The doctor doing the procedure was running behind.
Okay right here I am going to step back a minute - When I went to see my oncologist he assured me that I would be put to sleep for this procedure. Because I have heard that it is painful and he says he does that for all his patients.  Okay back to story - So they called me back at 3. I was in a room where they do CT scans.  The doctor came and the explained procedure. He said that he would cut a small hole on the back of my hip bone then basically "drill" into bone a bit, take some marrow and a bone sample. (Ouch right?) So I asked if I was going to be put to sleep. He told me that they would put anti anxiety meds and pain meds through my IV and that I would be in my happy place and possibly fall asleep and also that he would be putting lidocaine on my hip to numb it. They had me lay on my stomach, prepped me for the procedure, ran me under the CT scan to get an image of where they would be doing their thing.  The nurse injected me with the meds.  I started to fall asleep.... then WOW I felt a huge sting (them entering my bone) I instantly grabbed the pillows and flinched with pain. The nurse then gave me some more meds.  A few second later OUCH!!!! I felt him pulling out the marrow. I instantly teared up.  That was super painful.  The nurse asked if I was okay.  I said that hurt!! She told me that the procedure was all over.  Wooo thank goodness.  They then wheeled me back the "patient holding" area and I downed some juice and Lorna Doone cookies. LOL
I was here for about 15 mins and was taken to a recovery room.  I wasn't allowed to leave for 2 hrs!  Not sure why because I was wide freakin awake!! And not happy.  I was given a Turkey sandwich and some pop then discharged at 5:30ish.  I didn't make it home until 6:30. I was in some good pain at this point. Hurt to sit or bend over.

Well needless to say I am feeling much better today.  But I will be having some words with my
oncologist the next time I see him. LOL

Sorry so long........