Thursday, September 22, 2011

Okay, met with Dr. Jay Clark, local radiation oncologist (because, apparently you can never meet with too many oncologists). He's recommending 14 treatments of what they call consolidated radiation. It's consolidated because there's no cancer that they're treating--just trying to prevent future occurrences.

I have to have a CT with IV contrast so they can map out the treatment field, so I have to come back in 45 minutes and meet at American Fork Hospital's Radiation department, which I do. After a 15-minute wait, I see one of Dr. Clark's technicians who guides me back to a separate CT room that's reserved for cancer patients.

Time to start the IV. Only the CT technician is one of the people at the hospital that can never find my veins. Why didn't I just ask for someone else immediately? Note to self to do that in the future--skip step one and just go directly to step two.

I tell him where my best vein is and he proceeds to dig around and not find anything, so on to attempt number two. Only this time, he acts like he's going to get back at me for not having good veins and tries for one in my right wrist. OUCH! I should have stopped him immediately from trying there too. Haven't I learned to speak up for myself yet? Come on, Trish!

Sure enough, he can't really get a good vein in my wrist though. But he does manage to cause quite a bit of pain, bruising, and swelling. He must have popped through a vein, causing a hematoma, which must be right next to a nerve because it stays painful and bruised for two days!

Finally, he calls for someone else. She tries the left arm to no avail. The technician calls Dr. Clark to see if the contrast is really necessary. He wants us to try one more time and then give up if we can't get the IV started. The ER technician moves back to my best vein for the last attempt. After a little bit of digging, she gets it. Hurray!

Now for the CT scan. Should be simple, right? After all, I bet I've had over 20 CT scans by this point. Oh crud! I forgot that the last time I had the contrast (for the heart catheterization) that I had a strange reaction to it. Sure enough, by the time I get to Dale back in the waiting room, I can't breathe. Darn it.

Back to radiology we go, where I can be monitored for a while and make sure everything returns to normal. I'm sure the reaction has something to do with a high blood pressure (from being in pain after three attempts and one directly involving at least one nerve in my wrist). I've got to speak up and avoid these scenarios! High blood pressure + CT contrast = short of breath for me.

After an hour, my blood pressure and my oxygen levels are back to normal. I can breathe normally so we finally get to leave. Time to go back to bed after all of that excitement!