CT scan

Hello, again!

Well, I'm all done with the CT scan and it only took 1 hour longer than it should have! Last night, I drank a bottle of the barium-banana drink as instructed. When I got to the hospital for the test, they questioned the abdomen/chest CT, as they normally would include the pelvis with the abdomen. They called my doctor and were told to do the scan as they would normally proceed. So.....that meant I needed to drink another barium-banana drink and then WAIT for an hour for it to get through my system. Oh, goody.

So, I drank another bottle of the stuff and sat around and suffered through Regis & Kelly on the tv in the waiting room. Finally, they came and got me for the scan. Hallelujah!

As we're walking to the room, the lab tech says that the person doing the CT scan is very picky - she'll want me to drink more of the barium-banana stuff. Yup, she was right. After they got the IV in place, I got to drink some more stuff. Thankfully, I didn't have to drink another whole bottle, just about half of one. That way, there was more of the barium in the upper part of my system during the CT scan.

So, they ran me back and forth through the machine, then injected a dye into the IV so they could get a scan with the contrast dye. The dye isn't really a problem, except that when it moves through the bloodstream, you get a sensation like you need to urinate. Very weird feeling, but it doesn't last very long. So, back & forth I went again, and we were all done.

Headache, of course, was with me throughout. It really didn't like Regis' voice, either. I stopped and got some breakfast on the way home, as I was starving! (Did I mention I couldn't eat anything after midnight?) The barium-banana stuff was not suitable substitute for breakfast, that's for sure!

Oh....and the barium-banana stuff may make me have loose white bowel movements today as my system eliminates it. At least I have something to look forward to!

On my way out of the hospital, I went by the lab to pick up the jug for the 24-hour urine collection I need to do so they can do the test for the stuff the adrenal glands secretes. I'll start that tomorrow, then take it to the lab on Friday. That will be fun, don't you think? And I get to store it in the fridge - - -even better! (Bobby - don't drink from the orange pitcher.......)

So, all my excitement for the day is done. US-Mexico World Cup Qualifier game is on tonight, so my evening's excitement is scheduled, too.