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Thursday 15 October 2009

Gastroscopy

I’m posting this bunch of bullet points as is, otherwise this ain’t going to get posted at all… :-s

I’ve got a photo of my duodenum, but need to find it and scan it…

Cast

  • Pam, the super efficient ward sister with the excellent bedside manner
  • Lesley, the lady with the scanner (radiographer??)
  • The good Doctor
  • Caroline – who took me
  • My Mum, who picked me up

Chronology

  1. Admittance into Gastro-enterology
  2. Own cubicle, cubicle’s own hand wash
  3. Explanation of choice between
    1. Throat spray
    2. Sedation
  4. Explanation of procedure
  5. Chose throat spray
  6. Doctor arrives, I sign disclaimer
  7. Go into ‘operating room’
  8. I marvel at the gastroscopy equipment
    1. Looks like something out The Matrix 
  9. Doctor gives me throat spray
  10. Bed, turn on my left hand side
  11. ‘Bit’ to go between my teeth – aargh!
    1. It’s a plastic thing with a hole big enough to have the ‘camera’ put through it, and so you don’t damage the equipment by biting on it - yeeuch
  12. Gizmo fed into my mouth
  13. Deep breathing, steady breathing
  14. Suction thing like dentists
  15. Swallow
  16. Swallow again
  17. Gizmo into my stomach
  18. Further down, into duodenum for a look around
    1. Makes me feel a bit sick
  19. Air being pumped in makes me burp a lot
  20. Gizmo used to take samples – duodenum
  21. Back into stomach for a look see
  22. Concern because of saliva & breathing
  23. Back out again
  24. Thanks heavens!
  25. Lesley gives me photo
  26. Recuperation
  27. 45 minutes after spray
  28. Mum comes to collect
  29. Rather tired last night
  30. Have a sore throat today – unsurprisingly. Rather like a ‘sore throat’ caused by illness.

Initial test results

The biopsy taken from my duodenum was put into some ‘agar jelly’ containing lactose, along with a colour indicator. Apparently those with lactose intolerances normally turn the indicator a sky blue colour. I managed to turn it navy blue, which means a severe lactose intolerance.

The good Doctor also mentioned I have mild gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (apparently). Although looking at the symptoms, I don’t seem to suffer from this…

Results of blood test? Need to recall / check documentation

Reflections

  • Would have been good to have some kind of hand signals to communicate
  • Lack of control
  • Anxiety over pipe in mouth, & breathing
  • Throat spray vs. sedation

Deep joy – not.