MRI and I

Cherry

By Bee

Thu, 03 Dec 2015
  • 7225 reads
24 comments
 
Got to the hospital on time for my 9am appointment, changed into a fetching rectangular blue and white checked gown and was seen promptly by a nurse who wanted me to lie flat on a very high bed because, she said, she was 20 weeks pregnant. I said, 'Look, if I stretch my arm down when sitting on this very high bed, my arm which is stretched is just the right height for you to find a vein at 20 weeks pregnant, and she agreed, but though she tried ever so hard with various needles in various places, she couldn't find a vein that worked in my right arm. So then she went to find a more senior nurse who asked me to please sit in the chair next to the very high bed because she wasn't 20 weeks pregnant. In fact many years had passed since she had last been 20 weeks pregnant and so it would be best for all concerned if I would cooperate by sitting in the nice chair provided, and though I cooperated, my veins were having none of it, and so, feeling a little exasperated, she went in search of someone more senior and even less pregnant, who would refuse to quit until they found a vein that didn't either burst or point blank, excuse the pun, refuse the needle. 
 
Now the reason they weren't stabbing me in my left arm was because that's the side of the trouble and affected lymph nodes. I was told that under no circumstances, would they ever use the left arm in case of possible lymph edema - which might come later after surgery to remove the lymph nodes along with the bad boob. But not finding a good vein for the canular (needed to inject a contrast dye) in my right arm, it was decided that as I hadn't yet had the nodes removed, it would be absolutely fine to stick needles in that arm, so the next person had a go, but couldn't find a vein that worked on that side, either. 
 
And so a Doctor was called, who arrived eventually and who tried, and tried, and tried, but couldn't get a good vein, either. 'It's the chemo,' he explained, 'your veins are all shut down.' So by 11.00am, and looking quite tired, after wiping his brow on his suit sleeve, he decided to take me for a walk down some corridors for an ultrasound scan on my arms to look at the veins and find out what, if anything, could be done that day. Oh the great rejoicing when a vessel was discovered in my left arm and the canular got in place in that hand...  'Oh happy day! (oh happy day) Oh happy day! (oh happy day) when J....' Well, you get the picture... And so we walked, no, fairly danced, still singing (in our hearts) back down those welcome corridors to the waiting area where John was looking a tad pale, I thought, (from hunger? ) and there we waited again till someone called me for my 25 minute scan. 
 
I ever so carefully got myself positioned face down on the uncomfortable bed with my boobs in the holes and let the nurses put ear phones on my head to block out, they hoped, some of the terrible noise. I thought about having music, but the choice was too great and I couldn't be arsed to decide. Besides, the head phones didn't fit - kept falling down because they were too big for the average head with ears in the usual place, and as I went to position the ear pads over my usually placed ears, at the exact moment I moved my hand, the nurse moved hers in the opposite direction, and unfortunately, considering the great trouble the doctor had gone to to get it there, RIPPED the canular clean out of my hand. 
 
The nurse gasped and stared, the person what does the scan gasped and stared at the blood which was by now very excited to see daylight, and as a wad of cotton was hastily pressed against my hand, I burst into unexpected sobs. 
 
The nurse tried to reassure me,'It's not the end of the world.... But I'm afraid you've missed your slot.' I sobbed all the harder, 'I have to have the results by Thursday when I see the surgeon,' she said, 'Oh dear! I'll see if anything can be done.'
 
Poor, pale John was pleasantly surprised to see me back so soon, but then disappointed when we had to wait for the doctor to do it all again, and that doctor was a very busy man it turns out. Eventually it was all done without much trouble at all, and I got out of there at 2.30pm. exhausted. So there you have it - I'm a pin cushion. But I should have the results in time for the surgeon. Thought it was Friday, but it isn't, I see him today, when more shall be revealed - literally!
Certificate U
Story
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Insertponceyfre... on

oh bee the frustration of it all! 

 

Submitted by Bee on

Yeah, but you gotta laugh. I mean, if you'd only seen the shock on that poor nurses face (no one's fault) when after so much trouble we yanked that canular out - priceless !!!

Bee

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

OOOOH! You poor thing Bee, I got shivers just thinking of your painful ordeal.

I have to have one blood test a year to check on my thyroid, I get so sqeamish when I see that needle, I just have to look away, but at least they find a vain. Can't imagine going through the trauma you go through, it must be a nightmare. 

I so admire you for your strength Bee.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Bee on

Yeah, but Jenny, if all went as planned, I'd have been out of there in half an hour instead of, what is it, five and a half, and then I'd have had nothing to write about lol.

Bee

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Well Bee, I'm glad you mentioned that,  you're so right these traumas are what make a good story.wink

Jenny.

 

Submitted by Bee on

Ha ha! smiley

Bee

Submitted by Deliberately Ev... on

Oh man! That is a tedious day out. I did enjoy your description of the oh so well designed headphones though "too big for the average head with ears in the usual place"

The beat of your heart is the mellifluent rhythm to my soul.

Submitted by Bee on

I'm so pleased you enjoyed it AE - I was hoping it would entertain. 

Bee

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

All of the awkwardness and discomfort and time in an already horrible situation, not surprised you cried, so frustrating.  

Submitted by Bee on

It was frustrating.

Thanks Philip.

Bee

Submitted by Ed Crane on

https://www.google.be/search?q=medical+ports+for+chemo&newwindow=1&tbm=i...

So much easier than being a pin cushion every week

Too expensive for the NHS I suppose

 

Submitted by Bee on

Hi Ed.

i had a picc line for the chemo and blood tests, but they wouldn't use it for anything else. It's gone now, thank goodness. If I lived somewhere where there wasn't national health I wouldn't be able to afford treatment, or the insurance, so I guess I'm lucky to be a pincushion. 

Thanks for reading,

Deb x

Bee

Submitted by Ed Crane on

On insurance cost, yes in the US it is pretty expensive at least £200/month I believe.

I pay about £20/month which includes state subsidised med insurance and an additional private policy to cover all hospital costs and a private room.

We pay €24 per visit to GP which the insurance refunds about 70% and €45 to see a specialist again refunded. Hospital visits and treatment is billed direct to the insurance and we get the bill for about 25% of the which we claim back most on private insurance for any visit over night.

Prescribed meds are costed according to how important they are for treatment of an illness.

Eg heart drugs cost next to nothing, prescribed slimming aids will be charged at full rate.

Dental charges over €50 are refunded at about 70%. (not for cosmetic work though or implanted dentures which costs about €8000 here I believe)

Overall on balance, I don't think health costs here are anymore than in the UK, but I would say the treatment is better although I do know from friends in the UK, the NHS can do brilliant work for cancer treatment also.

Anyway the most important thing for me, Bee is: you get better.

I really wish you all the best for the treatment you are so brave sharing your experiences

EDK xxx

 

 

Submitted by Bee on

Hi again Ed.

my daughter lives in America, so I only really know about there and here in the UK, but I found what you said really interesting. Thanks for that.  

Bee

Submitted by jeand on

Hi Bee

well, by now, you probably know the results. We are all thinking about you and hoping you will be happy with the results. But what an experience you had. I've had a little bit of similar problem when I think I had two doctors try five or six times before they found a useable vein. But nothing on the scale that you experienced.

 

Jean

Jean Day

Submitted by Bee on

Ooh, it is horrible, isn't it? Thanks Jean, I'll try and write something tomorrow. 

Bee

Submitted by Starfish Girl on

Great that you can still see the humour of the situation Bee. Very well written, and especially finding something of interest to write about such an uncomfortable experience.

Hope all is now 'set fair'.

Lindy

Submitted by Bee on

Thanks Lindy. 

Bee

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

At least you could enjoy writing it all down afterwards. Fact stranger than fiction! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Bee on

I know, Rhiannon, that's what I thought. You've made me laugh.

x

Bee

Submitted by Denzella on

Oh dear Bee, 

What a cowardly chump I feel after reading this. I now get frightened by injections particularly bloods but also heparin, the ones for DVT where they go into the stomach.  Ugh! In fact, I hate anything medical.  Sometimes I think the treatment can be worse than the condition but I suppose it depends on what the condition is.  Take it from me Bee you are one very, very brave lady.  Hats off to you Bee, but perhaps not, as it's raining and with all those perforations you might let the rain in.   Moya xx

 

Submitted by Bee on

Oh Moya, you make me laugh so much. You are a tonic!

Thank you.

X

 

Bee

Submitted by celticman on

pincushions are useful things, now you know how it feels to be useful. Well balanced blackness with the light of understanding. 

 

Submitted by Bee on

Thanks CM - never thought of myself as very useful before.

x

Bee