Pre-op testing

Today was my morning of pre-op testing.    I was up at 5:30 AM, so that I could make it to the hospital by 7:15 AM.  Nothing to drink and no medications.  That part was kind of hard, I was thirsty.  But brushing my teeth helped.  I got turned around and drove the wrong way once I reached downtown.  But I made it with about 5 minutes to spare.

A friendly woman checked me in.  She also gave me a financial estimate regarding the hospital portion of my upcoming medical bills.  I must say it was less than I expected, but I am sure it is only an estimate of the use of the OR and a one night stay I was told to plan for.  Should I need to stay longer, well, more money then.  Before I left the room, another large woman showed up with the tell-tale white binder in tow.  I continued to see her following me until I left the hospital.

I was called into the back room.  I had to give a urine specimen, followed by changing (from the waist up) into a gown.  The nurse, Michelle, was very friendly.  She then asked me all sorts of questions regarding my health and family history.  Pretty much all stuff I have already written down on multiple forms, but I guess you can never be too careful.

After that a female technician came in the room and conducted the EKG.  That was followed by a man (nurse? phlebotomist? other?) who came in to draw blood.  I must say he was very efficient.  My left arm wasn't cooperating, so rather than force it and bruise me up, he moved to my right arm.  It was easy, hardly any pain.  One tube right after another, and only a small red dot to show where he did it.

Once they were both gone, Michelle moved on to taking my vitals.  My blood pressure was high at 140/88... but considering what I was doing and I had not taken my medication since 5 PM the day before, I think not too bad.  All other vitals were good.  She took down my email address to email me an informational video on what to expect on the day of surgery.

Next up, the Nurse Practicioner came in the room.  An physical examine is required within 30 days of the surgery, so she did her little exam.  It pretty much consisted of looking at my throat, and listening to my heart and lungs.  She too asked a few medical questions and that was that.

I changed back into my street clothes, as Michelle called them, and followed Michelle across the hospital to radiology.  I had about a 5 minute wait until a woman came to show me where to change back into a gown.  Once changed, all most at once I was taken back to have a chest x-ray done, from the front and from the side.

I spent another 10 minutes in the waiting room and watched a little GMA.  It seems to be what all medical offices have on the TV at this time of day.  Then I as taken back to have an upper GI done.  The radiology technician explained what would happen and she had everything ready to go.   Google says:

1. Upper gastrointestinal tract radiography, also called an upper GI, is an x-ray examination of the esophagus, stomach and first part of the small intestine (also known as the duodenum). Images are produced using a special form of x-ray called fluoroscopy and an orally ingested contrast material such as barium.

What it doesn't say, is that first you have to thrown back as far as you can into your mouth some medical grade pop rocks followed by a small amount of water to wash them down.  They instantly start fizzing and it is difficult to swallow.  They fill your stomach with air, which helps the images.  You want to burp... don't burp.  I do anticipate having gas later, delightful!

Then you go ahead and stand in the x-ray fluoroscopy machine and drink the barium when the radiologist says go.  The barium is thick and chalky.  For an instant my stomach rebelled, but I got it all down.   The doctor watches it go down your esophagus, which I think probably is pretty cool, but I did not get to see it.  Then the back portion of the unit was tilted down to form a table.  I laid on my back for a moment, then I laid on my right side for a moment.  Then the radiologist left and had the radiology technician finish up with a standard x-ray of my stomach.  Which she had to repeat because she cut off the bottom half inch of my stomach the first time.

From there I went to the information desk and asked how to get back to the entrance I had parked at.  He told me to go outside and walk around the building.  I kid you not!  He said it in a nice manner with directions on which way to turn once I was outside.  He said it was the quickest way since it was a nice day outside.  So I did.

I had 45 minutes to get a have a snack and take my pills.  I brought a protein drink with me so I decided to drive to the next location to make sure I could find it.  I got turned around again and drove by a CVS.  So I stopped and bought a water and a bottle of Hibiclens Soap.  Michelle told me that I need to use it to shower the night before and the morning of surgery from the neck down but avoid the genital area.  It is an antimicrobial soap found in the first aid section.  She said if I couldn't find it a antibacterial soup would be okay, but to try to find it.

So I got myself re-orientated and drove back the way I came to the rehab place for my PT appointment.  I met with Todd who went over twenty different exercises I should start performing.  Some of the require a band, some a wall, and some the floor.  All exercises were doable, in fact I am already doing some of them for my back.  We discussed aerobic exercise too.  I told him I was already walking about 4 days a week, usually for a half hour.  Sometimes in the pool, sometimes not.  He said I should target getting my heart rate up to the range of 17-22 beats per 10 seconds.

And I was done.  All in all I was in appointments from 7:15-11:15ish.  19 more days until surgery.  Next Wednesday, the 13th, I start my all liquid diet to shrink my liver a bit before surgery.