Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Barium Swallow Study

So after a few weeks of nerves and being scared about what I would actually have to do (and drink!), I went in this morning for my barium swallow study.  I was unable to eat or drink anything after midnight last night and was up bright and (really) early so we could be at the hospital for 8:15am.  Like normal, my mom got up early as well to take me in for the test (I don't go to tests alone anymore, just in case I feel too yucky to drive the 20+ minutes to get back home). 

We get to the hospital and I get registered in for the test and told to take a seat and wait for my name to be called.  I motioned to mom to move over to the other side of the area so I could hear my name being called and had barely sat down in the new seats when they came and called my name.  Mom got up to go with me but the lady told her she could stay in the main waiting room and that I would be back in about 20-30 minutes.  I get back to the area and am told to change into a gown, the old gowns where you put one on with the opening in the back and then another on like a housecoat with the opening in the front.  Thankfully I have learned through all these years of testing and had worn yoga pants with no metal in them so I was able to leave those on.  I then went and waited in a second waiting area but had only read a page or so in my book and I was being called into the testing area. (Note: There were two ladies in the room with me.  There was the lady that was at the computer and handling all of that stuff, I'll call her the 'tech' and another lady that prepared all the mixtures and physically got me into the different positions, I'll call her the aide as she aided me lol and I have no clue how else to describe her)

I go into the testing room and they have me read this laminated sheet that stated what the test was, what was going to occur and what to do following the test.  I then had to fill out a form with the normal questions but wasn't sure what to put for heart condition.  I told them I was on heart medications and that my heart is structurally fine, it's the way my brain tells my heart to work that is the problem.  Tech said that was okay because they just needed to know as they sometimes give an injection if your stomach empties too fast but if you are on heart medications or have any heart problem, they do not do the injection (yay a positive to dysautonomia :D).  I also had to explain said dysautonomia and go over a breif description of what EDS was and what exactly my swallowing problems were.  They seemed to be more interested in how I was with fluids more than how I was with solids for some reason.  They then tell me how I would be starting standing up on this device and that it would then slowly be put into a horizontal position then after a few scans it would be put back into a vertical position.  I mention then that because of the issues going on that I might get dizzy so tech said she would make it stand up as slow as she could.

So I go over and stand on the little ledge at the bottom of the table.  The aide brings over a cup and a package.  She tells me that this is a gas producer and that I need to swallow it down as soon as possible and that it will make me want to burp but I needed to try my hardest not to.  She then dumps the crystals in the cup and I can hear fizzing and the amount getting larger in the cup so I gulped it down as quick as could be.  The not burping was the hardest part (imagine guzzling 4 cans of pepsi and being told you can't burp!).  A few shots (well special xray scans were done - I will just refer to them as shots as it's easier) were taken and then she brings over another cup.  This is the barium and I had to hold it in my left hand and when the tech told me to start I had to drink it down as quickly as I could.  Well this was the tricky part.  It was so thick that I could only take very small little sips and I managed to gag a few times before managing to actually get it all down.  The aide came over and took the cup and wiped me mouth off.  I had to stand there and then turn to the left and then move this way and that way etc while they got all the shots they needed.  The aide then came over to make sure that my feet were firmly planted and that I was lined up properly and then the tech made the bed go horizontally. 

Okay now the horizontal part.  The aide then came over to make sure that my feet were firmly planted and that I was lined up properly and then the tech made the bed go horizontally.  Strangely this made my stomach feel bettter (probably because of the gas crap).  I then had to do a 'log roll' from my back -> left side -> stomach -> right side -> back again.  A bunch more shots were taken in different positions and then they put me in the main position (there was a specific name for it but I can not remember at this point).  I was lying on my right side with my left leg bent up with me resting on it (like my body was at a 45* angle), my left arm up above my head and my righ arm straight down at my side.  I did get a pillow for my head and do wish that I had of asked for one for my leg but didn't.  A bunch more shots were taken and aide emerges with yet another cup.  She gets this one ready with a straw and tells me not to move and that she would put the straw in my mouth when it was time.  This was a thinner dilution of the barium.  Tech wanted a few more shots and then aide put the straw in my mouth and I had to drink it down as fast as I could as well.  I guess I was taking longer than normal as she kept asking the aide if I was almost done to which I almost wanted to ask her if she wanted that crap in my stomach or on her floor, because that is where it would be if I drank it any faster!  Thankfully no gagging on this one!  The aide did come over and wipe my mouth as I had some of the liquid on my lips and it turns chalky really quickly (and I was having a good ol' sweat so she wiped my face off as well which was nice).  A bunch more moving around and rolling and shots and we get started on the last phase.

Horizontal -> Vertical!  I was very nervous about this and even though I told both of them about the dysautonomia issues, I am pretty sure that they didn't really understand them.  Aide made sure that I was lined up and had my feet planted properly and tech then started tilting it up.  They got about half way up and the tech quickly had the aide come over and pull out a handle on the side for me to hold on to.  When they had me all the way up they asked if I was okay or dizzy and miraculusly I felt fine!  For about a minute and then everything started closing in and got very dizzy.  The let me rest agains the bed for a bit but then we had to get on with the test.  The last thing I had to do was take a mouthfull of the thinner barium drink and hold it in my mouth.  Then the tech would count to three and I would have to gulp it all down in one go.  We did three of these with different angles of my body for the shots and finally they told me I could go sit down.  The aide got me a washcloth to wipe off my face and hands and I was surprised at how chalky and dry the liquid already was!  A quick check of the shots and I was good to go.  They made sure to tell me that I was to drink lots of liquids for the next few days (and that I would probably have white poop and to not be alarmed lol).  I quickly got changed and went out to find mom.

The more I was walking the more lightheaded I was getting and I just really wanted to go to the car where I could sit down.  I didn't even say a word to mom until we were out of the parking lot!  It was then I realized I should have got a drink at the hospital's Tim Hortons so on the way home mom stopped and we both got Ice Cap's (figured the sugar might help a bit).  Got home and curled up with K on the couch for a bit then downed a glass of chocolate milk and went back to bed.  I got up and really didn't feel good at all.  I kept drinking steadily but just felt 'yucky'. Went up for supper but couldn't eat much as I was having pains in  my stomach.  However, I now know that the strange pains I have been getting in my abdomen are from digestion issues as they have been very significant in those areas tonight.  I have also been having autonomic issues.  I haven't gone in to full sweats at all (except at the hosptail) but have been 'clammy' all day and night.  Have been feeling pretty shakey as well and very tired.  So with that all typed up, I am off to bed!  My parents have to go out of town tomorrow as a friend's mother passed away so it will be just K and I all day tomorrow so I am hoping that I am feeling better in the morning!!  Even if I am not, K is a great kid and it will be okay.  We can just cuddle on the couch and watch movies :D

Side Note:  Mom got a nice surprise today.  While she was waiting in the main waiting area for me she noticed someone she hadn't seen in years.  She used to be best friends with a lady that had a severly handicap son that was about 6 months older than me.  M, the son, was always over at our house with his mom and mom was the only one he would ever let cut his hair.  The mom passed away about 12 years ago and my mom hadn't seen M in about 10 or 11 years.  Well she looked up at one point and saw M in his wheelchair with his worker.  She was looking to see if it really was him when their eyes met and M started clapping his hands and laughing and just getting all excited.  So my mom went over to them and said his name and he started laughing and giggleing all over again.  The worker said that M obviously knew my mom from somewhere and was just as amazed that he recognized her after all these years.  Mom was very happy to see him and to see how he was doing as we had lost touch over the years.  Unfortnaly when I came out of the test I had one mission in mind (to get to the car asap) and didn't properly get to see him or see if he recognized me but it was still good.  It was like mom was meant to go with me and today was the day I was meant to have this test (spent a good deal of telephone tag setting this appointment up) so mom could see M and know that he was okay.

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