I'm going in

8:40 am Wheeled to surgical holding, 4^th floor by Jarrell (sp?).As we chatted and made small talk we laughed and enjoyed the ride. I was rolled through the public hallways, and I noticed that few people made eye contact when you are in a gown and on a bed.

The 4^th floor holding room has room for 5 beds, dimmed lights and faux wood flooring. Again was the always present hum of the fan. I was placed in the far corner of the room in slot 3. It was a busy place. There were three in the room when I arrived and in a matter of five minutes all the others were gone and a new patient had arrived.

8:50 am My hands are cold and I am getting more nervous as I sit here longer………….waiting.

It’s a different world down here. Life moves at a different pace. I can feel it. I can see it. Maybe it’s knowing what’s coming up next. Or. Perhaps it’s not knowing.

8:55 am A doctor came out. She wore dark blue scrubs. He spoke clearly with a medium accent that placed her heritage from Russia or that region. She checked my ID then told me my chart went back to 7West. She’ll track it down and get back to me.

“I’ll be here through Friday” I replied.

9:00 am My chart made it down to me in holding.

I’m sitting up in my bed and my butt is almost numb. I can’t wait to spend a week or two in one of these things. Yuck!

Although I probably shouldn’t have, I realize I need to get a different deodorant. This flavor isn’t working for me.

9:05 am They come for me.

9:10 am The room I am wheeled into is across from the holding room on the 4^th floor. It’s a typical hospital room but four doctors are in it. They are all busy, prepping equipment looking t the charts and explaining to me what will happen during the biopsy.

I am told it takes about 15 minutes to setup for a procedure that takes only a few minutes.

My robe is pulled up over my stomach.

The primary doctor is a young man very professional.

He uses the ultrasound to do an initial liver search. I am asked to breathe deeply and hold three times.

After I have been ultra-sounded another doctor cleans my stomach with alcohol and explains that it will be cold and have an odor. It takes her a while, I have enough to clean. She then wipes it with something else.

Both doctors lay sterile towels on all four sides of my stomach. Then they use a sterile cover on the ultrasound unit to probe once again. The doctor presses his finger to make a spot.

“You will feel a pinch” As the first lidocain shot is pressed into the spot just below my sternum.

The second lidocain shot is placed by the ultrasound and is deeper.

I can feel the needle press deeper into my stomach. It’s tight. Not necessarily painful but definitely not very comfortable. Okay, lied. I hurt. The doctor’s finger is pressing in as well. That I can feel.

"Take a deep breath and hold it."

“You will hear a click” I hear, as the biopsy instrument is pressed to my stomach.

CLICK and it’s done.

I didn’t feel the spring powered biopsy needle go in an out. But the docs finger needs to go!

They put a bandage on my belly and instruct me to stay lying on my back very still for the next hour. Do not lift my head do not move my lower body.

I am done with the procedure at 9:22 according to their clock