Lots of updates...a while in the making

Oct 24, 2010

So I would be past dating these things, but here are a few posts to come back up to speed with where I am at the moment in my process...

October 13th came and it was my Day-O-Fun...

I headed to my first appointment of the day to get my Barium swallow. At the appointment time, I was stuck in rush hour, still trying to get to the office...luckily, they said they would try to fit me in. When I finally made it there, they took me right back and I changed into the gown and was led to the room with the big machine and told what I was going to have to do.

We start the process and the barium has the consistency of marshmallow fluff and tastes like full vacuum cleaner bag. About halfway through the cup, the machine locks up and they end up having to reboot it and start the whole test over. Yuck! I suffered through the first half again. Then, I had to take the Pop Rocks-like crystals and water and was told not to burp...More pictures...Then, they laid the machine back so I was laying down and I had to turn on one side, then the other, then back and forth...on my stomach, then my back, again and again...all the while, drinking watered down barium. By the last turn, I felt like I was going to throw up (because this is all on an empty stomach as well...). He quickly looked through the pictures and said that he got what he needed, so I got the okay to go.

After I left the office, I headed to get some lunch at Chipotle before my next appointment for my sleep test follow up. I met with my sleep doctor and he went over the charts with me and determined that I DON'T have sleep apnea. Woohoo!! I was so worried about that part, that it was a BIG sigh of relief.

I went right from that appointment to my nutrition class. I got the guidelines for my liquid diet and the different phases I will be going through and other tips and tricks that I should know about and be able to use to be successful. Armed with my notebook, I headed with my NUT to my therapy session to go over my psych test results. It was weird having her for both. She is a bit more forceful than I am used to and I don't think we would get along in real life...I got annoyed quite a bit at what she said, but I know that it is to help me.

First, we went over my psych test results. She said that I answered the test not truthfully, but with answers that society considers "the norm"...I guess this is something that they say is typical, but I was a little offended. Then, she told me the strongest traits I have for my personality. Some of them were a little conflicted, like me having a loner trait, but also wanting to be where the action is and the center of attention. I am also a drama queen and slightly narcissistic with a high obsessive trait. Not to the OCD point, but I like things where they are.
It was very interesting because, overall, I agreed with most of what was said about me. 

Anyways, I was cleared, so the only thing left was for me to get my blood work done and get the clearance from my PCP.

On Friday, the 15th, I went before work and got my blood taken. Apparently, I have tiny veins and so she had some issues finding a good vein. She found one at the top of my elbow, but about halfway through, it decided it was done. So, she looked elsewhere and finally found another one in between my left middle and ring finger knuckles. It hurt like a mo-fo. My hand ended up throbbing all day and there was a HUGE bruise (and I never bruise).

Yesterday, while out, I got a call saying that he wanted to talk to me about something he found in my blood test results. It is going to be over the phone, but I don't know what it is. I am hoping it isn't anything serious...  If it was, I am sure I would need to actually go in...

All in all, this has been a pretty seamless process for me. I am really grateful for that. 

More later...

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