My fairly normal life was interrupted this last week by my throat. We were eating mashed potatoes, beans and roast. Half way through the meal, the roast just stopped going down. By now we have the routine down pat, so we hopped in the car and went to the ER at Strong. The one good thing about the night was that we didn't have to wait at all in the ER. Long story cut short, I had to have an endoscopy. They had to give me three times the amount of sedative, and it still didn't do too much to put me out. I have several not so fond memories of being held down as I'm gagging on a tube that is continuously forced down my throat while someone is telling me to try and relax. I was pretty sore for the next several days, and Lisa did a good job of babying me. There was one humorous moment during the evening. Before starting the endoscopy, the ER tried some drugs on me to help me relax and allow the food to pass. One of the drugs they gave me through the IV was Valium. I'm not sure exactly what I did or said, but I know I made Lisa laugh.
The next day, Thursday, I had an appointment with Strong Orthopaedics where they took x-rays of my left knee which has been really bothering me lately. It was taking me several days to recover from playing basketball or something similar, so I finally went in. They couldn't tell anything for certain, so I went in the next day for an MRI. I get to go back in the next couple of weeks in order to see what is wrong and what will have to be done.
It was definitely a week in which I gave generously to the medical establishment. You're welcome, all of my doctor friends. Just doing my part to keep the medical industry up and running smoothly in spite of the economic downturn.
3 comments:
What a week!
We doctor folk thank you! Seriously though, sounds like a nightmare. I think those of us on the other side of the scope/knife/latex glove forget what a debacle it is to be sick and have to go through those things. Thanks for reminding me. Maybe I'll be a little nicer to my patients tomorrow. Hope you are feeling better!
Shoot Chris I looked it up and this is what it says about endoscopy, "minimally invasive diagnostic medical procedure" LOL J/K. Maybe they could implant some rings in your throat to help keep it stretched wide enough. Good luck with the knee. Don't worry about the medical folk, don't you know the Pres. is going to fix everything, universal health care will fix us good and if it doesn't well there won't be any money left when he's done. [End rant]
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