3/2/22  It's Wednesday.  This is going to be a turning point kind of day, so I changed my normal typeface.  That'll work, I'm sure.  David took me to the cardiologist today and we were home 4 hours later.  I had 3 tests today.  First, a PET scan of my heart.  My heart was going boopity-boo and she said it's not acting normal.  Well, geez, lady, I reckon that's why I'm here.... They put in an IV for this so they can inject numerous drugs with very long names that do nasty things to your body.  Therefore, I do not recommend receiving this test if at all possible.  The only vein they can find has so much scar tissue that the drugs have trouble traveling into your system.  This requires a nurse to hold your arm straight up in the air while you are strapped down prone on a bone chilling, cold, skinny-ass, table, and your body up to your neck is in a machine that resembles something out of a Star Trek movie.  Then, the nurse says your chest will begin to hurt and you may feel like you're having a heart attack.  The blood vessels in your chest will constrict and you will find it hard to breathe.  A possible headache will ensue, but don't worry - this will be all be over in the next 45 minutes.  Wait.  What?!?  I didn't sign up for this.  Wait.  Maybe I did.  I DID sign a lot of waivers when I got here.....

Laying on the table was tolerable, even tho my incision was pretty dang sore this morning.  I'll elaborate on that in a bit.  Next, they said they could get me over to have the carotid doppler done after all.  So, we hustled over to Heather in the next area and I climbed up on another joyful table and laid on my back.  This was pretty simple and lasted about 20 minutes.  It's basically an ultrasound of your neck.  They just slather on the goo, look at both sides, wipe it off and tell you to go to the next room.  I'm pretty sure the ultrasound showed I'm not pregnant.

Next, the echocardiogram, and another cold table to crawl up on.  Normally, this is just a time consuming, cold goo, ultrasound of your heart.  In my case, she had to press a bit harder than normal because my chest cavity was pretty full of fluid this morning.  I usually wear my pressure machine in the evenings, but, in hindsight, I should have done it this morning.  My remaining lymph nodes were taking the morning off and none were left to push the fluid around and out of the area.  Soooo, the area was a tad tender and swollen.  This did not bode well for the pain level.  I wasn't allowed to take pain medicine, or eat or drink after midnight, so I was a little edgy, to say the least.  Did I mention they left the IV in this whole time?  They said they might need it....  For what?  In case I DO have a heart attack?  My arm is killing me.  Blood is trickling down my forearm and it begins to drip on the floor.  The nurse says it's fine.  Don't worry about it.  Ok, sure.  When she's done, she takes the IV out and blood goes everywhere.  She said not to worry about it.  Ok, sure.

David pulled the car up to the front door, and I was never so glad to climb into that front seat.  I said to get me out of here.  He did.  Poor David.  I made him do some things this morning that he wished never to do again.  My husband, who pretty much cannot stand the sight of blood, had to take care of my incision this morning.  It bled more than usual in the night, so I had him take a good look at it this morning.  He took a picture of it and I sent it to the doctor.  The doctor said to take off the steri-strips because I was having an allergic reaction to them.  They're supposed to fall off by themselves and I don't go in for my follow-up appt. until Friday.  At the tops and the bottom of the strips, my skin was mushy, bloody, seepy, gross, and painful.  Now, poor David has to take them off me.  One by one.  And, remember, I wasn't allowed to have any pain medication.... So, he starts peeling while I begin deep breathing exercises.  He covered me up with a big bandage and we headed to town for my tests.  And those 3 tables I had to lay on.  On my back.

But, yes, this was a turning-point day.  I don't have to get stuck in that arm until April 11.  This is a record length of time for no needles, so I am rejoicing.  I miss my port these days.  I have no appointments tomorrow.  I'm staying home.  I haven't told David yet that he needs to change my bandage in the morning..... shhh.


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