Tuesday morning I reported to Presbyterian Hospital at 5am for a liver biopsy. I got all checked in, changed into a beautiful gown, gave lots of blood, had the IV hooked up, got a burning injection in the booty and wheeled down to Radiology to be the first biopsy of the day. WooHoo! I was going to be in and out. Hopefully out. So I thought.
Somehow the lab broke my blood vial that would allow them to know my blood would clot. Pretty important when they are pricking at your very pourous liver. So, they had to redraw my blood and send it back through the lab. Back to my room I went, for what was supposed to be about an hour. Two and a half hours later they came to get me. Beause the first injection was wearing off, I had to have another "twilight" injection and them back to Radiology.
I didn't have to wait too long once downstairs before they took me into the room. They did the ultrasound on my liver and let me know that I needed to stay awake during the procedure so I could hold my breathe from time-to-time. To say the least, it was a disgusting procedure to watch and pretty damn painful. The only good thing, it was over in about 20 minutes. After which I begged for a Vicodin and was back in my room for little naps in between vital checks which were every 20-30 minutes. I had to lay in my right side (incision side) for 4 hours. I thought then I would be able to go home. Which is what should've happend, but I almost fainted when they finally got me up to take out my IV, so I had to stay another hour to be montiored.
Finally 11 hours later, I was on my way home in at the beginning of rush hour traffic. I made it home and went straight to bed for the night. I was told Tylenol would be enough for pain, but they lied. Luckily I had one leftover Vicodin and that got me through the night.
Wednesday I had planned to at least work from home, but that was about impossible. I slept most of the day and finally called the dr. to ask if my symptoms were to be expected. He wasn't concerned and said I should be go to go Thursday. So Thursday morning, still groggy, but not too sore, I got up and headed to work. I didn't make it to my big meeting that morning and thought I was going to have to go back home, but as the morning went on I was doing a little better. Until just after lunch.
I started having severe stabbing pain near the injection site and finally had to leave a meeting, ask Shannon and Jim to find Greg for me, and was rushed to the ER. The pain was extreme, I was having trouble breathing and I started blacking out. I finally got checked in the ER, laid on my side and breathed through the pain. Of course, by the time I got to see a Dr., the pain was gone. My radiologist called for a CTscan and some other blood test, but thankfully all were negative and showed now sign of internal bleeding. I got lots of pain pills and was finally released to go home.
Friday morning on the way to work, the pain started coming back and I loaded up on pain killers and called my GI. Evidently, I'm a lucky 5% of patients that have severe spasms after a biopsy. The biopsy came back proving I have NASH (fatty liver- likely brought on by gall bladder removal and controllable by diet) and I am just riding out the spasms with meds and sleep until Monday. If they are still going strong, I am going to demand more answers from my GI. It's awful and ridiculous to be so out of sorts.
Anyway.....long story, longer week.
All dressed up and ready to go. Easiest morning for school all year.
Jordan and Dylan
Dylan and Mrs. Hostas (her main teacher)
