A Practice Round with My Liver

June 17 (Wednesday)...A little disappointed with the hospital this morning. After running a marathon obstacle course with one arm tied behind my back. I got back on track and hoped to start my procedure but due to the mix up and confusion I was an hour behind schedule. 

The worst thing this morning was I was not on pain medicine because they would be giving me their on little cocktail of drugs for the procedure. This should have delivered to me around 0800 but I had to wait until 0930. 

The nurses were very concerned for me and the radiologist came in quickly and told the only option was to get started. He had read the CT scan from Monday night and the pain I am feeling is due to growth of the liver tumors pressing on my organs and nerves. Until the liver is treated with radiation, the main goal will be pain management. 

Then the procedure took place and it went so well. Omar was my hero today. He kept me comfortable at all times. I had a crew of guys who were cutting up and joking the entire procedure. I was under conscious sedation so I remember most of what was going on minus the pain. I could not see the imagery either. Bummer!   

All went well but I had a minor claustrophobic incident after the procedure. I found out I had to lay flat through a special imagining procedure to verify no radiation residual entered my lungs today. I was already aware of laying flat due to catheter but then she put me in a papoose and I could not even move my arms for over an hour with a scanner over my chest and abdomen just a couple of inches above me. The last twenty minutes she released my arms so I could place them over my head. Thankful that the pain meds had helped with the pain with the right shoulder. By the time the twenty minutes was up both arms were asleep. Tums out I will have to do this every time I have radiation. Yuck!  But I got through it and now I know to prepare for this mentally each time. 

Then recovery room for three more hours. I had to drink, eat, go to the bathroom and walk a few laps of a short hallway. All was good. So I spoke to radiologist about my return visit next week. And away I went back to my sun room view!  Yay!  

All in all. It was a good day. Prayer and worship music helped me through when I could have it. God is good!