My dealings were much more straight forward.
It was a repeat of the procedure two weeks previous, though with a different student nurse asking the questions much more concisely. I was able to listen to some classical music, this time.
I was back at work by 9.00
The following day took a little longer.
A CT Scan involves injecting a dye into the blood stream and this allows the scanner to pick up issues more easily: A computerized tomography scan, also called a CT scan, is a type of imaging that usesX-ray techniques to create detailed images of the body. It then uses a computer to create cross-sectional images, also called slices, of the bones, blood vessels and soft tissues inside the body.
It involved drinking a litre of water over a 45 minute period before the procedure. I would be driving to the hospital for c30 minutes of that time. I took 2 half litre plastic bottles and carefully, surreptitiously supped away as I drove.
I waited in the CT scan area, with other people, desperate to go to the toilet. I hurriedly went and returned to me seat just moments before I was called through and went back through the questionnaire once again. The scan room was different and the process fortunately much quicker.
I was given a cannula then led to the operation room and asked tolie down. No gowns involved.
I was asked to drop my trousers to move metal away from the stomach area and lift my arms up above my head. With a frozen shoulder this was difficult, so they rested a large pillow behind my head and gently tied my arms up. Into the cannula they had squirted some liquid. As they had warned, it made my body feel warm, and this slowly moved to my kidneys and bowels. I felt as though I was going to the toilet, or had done so, with my nether regions all warm and damp.
It was a strange feeling, and I was glad it was soon over, with the whole process taking no more than 10 minutes. I was desperate to go to the toilet and when lead to the recovery room spent the next 5 to 10 minutes emptying my bowels. There were three men already occupying comfy reclining chairs. I was offered a standard desk chair to sit on.
I hoped for a coffee and a biscuit again, but nothing was forth coming. After a while the other men were allowed to go, cannulas had been removed and arms taped up. One slightly more elderly chap was soon coming back to the waiting room with blood running down his forearm. He had been taking blood thinners, had not mentioned it before hand and need to wait longer.
There were three nurses in the room to attend to us. One promptly found a reason to do something else and be nowhere near the blood. A colleague helped re-dress the patient before quietly sitting the AWOL one down and had a very discrete word about helping patients. In 15 minutes, I was fine and able to leave. I was back at work by lunch time.
I took a call later in the day to check on everything and informed that the hospital would be having a meeting in 10 days’ time, with all the relevant professionals, to discuss my case, and they would then let me know what course of action they would suggest.
Once again, I would have to be patient and wait.
