Happy May 1st everyone. I guess the warm (summer-like) weather we had a few days ago just couldn't stick around long enough to greet the new month. This is New England and more rain is predicted. Drought, be gone!
I had my (little more than a) month follow-up since my Triple A repair (EVAR). I fasted four hours prior to a CT scan. But basically, when the exam is scheduled for 11:30, I had been fasting since night before. I can handle the lack of food intake, but I'm in a perpetual fog without my coffee.
Checking in at Radiology at 11, I was given my mandatory SAT to complete. Seems they are always giving me something to complete that requires my looking up answers. For example, how old ma was when she passed. I get my calculator app fired up and subtract 2001 from 1923 (year of death/year of birth). I'm good at remembering the dates, but not so much on the number of years alive. Same for dad. I finished and waited...and waited. Finally at 12:15 PM, I complained. I did have a follow-up visit with Dr. Schanzer at 1PM and I was concerned.
Don't know if it was happenstance or the squeaky wheel syndrome, but I was called in with a few minutes of my returning to my seat. I was guided down a long corridor and was instructed to enter the imaging room. There were two attendants and they were furiously working to get everything in order. I was told to lie down and pull my pants down to my knees. I was covered with a blanket while one attendant prepared my vein for the IV. Before I knew it, the saline was coursing through my veins and both technicians left the room to view me from the control room. They took about four passes. [They must have a recorded female voice that they use to provide instructions: "Take a deep breath and hold. Now exhale and breathe regularly." I saw no woman in sight.]
I heard one attendant say, "Here comes the warm feeling". At that point I could feel the "contrast" (nuclear dye??) enter my body and diffuse through my veins. It was warm, but not painful. My hot flashes seem stronger. I took a few more rides in and out of the tube and was told that we were done. I looked at the clock and the whole thing took about 15 minutes. [Do shoulder shrug here.]
I left and thankfully, there was a kiosk right outside radiology and they had Starbucks. [High Test]. I ordered a small back and a blueberry muffin. Not cheap, but convenience has its price. The coffee was wicked hot, but after a significant amount of blowing, I was able to caffeinated myself. I felt my brain waking up. [Almost heaven].
I had 15 minutes to get across the street and up to the third floor for Dr. Schanzer. Walking while sipping I got there in 5 minutes. I checked in and got another round of SAT paperwork to complete, but I was called before I finished. Angela said she'd help me out. She took my vitals and we stopped into my examination room. She looked at the paperwork and asked the questions and entered the information to their computer system. I was asked to strip down to my undershorts and was given a johnnie to cover my lap. "Dr. Schanzer will be with you shortly", Angela said.
It seemed to be about 20 minutes of waiting before a colleague of Dr. Schanzer's arrived. Apparently, Dr. Schanzer was delayed in the operating room. She [can't remember her name] said that she reviewed the CT scan results and everything looked good. She indicated that there was no leak, but they were going to monitor an artery (to the lumbar region) that will correct itself over time. She said that I'll have a follow-up ultrasound in 6 months. She said I could wait for Dr. Schanzer, but I didn't have to if I didn't want to wait any longer. I indicated that I was here, so I'll wait.
Not long after, Dr. Schanzer knocked on the door and entered. After apologizing for the wait, he reiterated what his colleague had told me. He did explain that the artery they are watching is not leaking. There is no blood source. The body makes this correction over time. [I recall some of my early research indicated that this condition is fairly common. The body is smart and will re-route veins and arteries when one is (some are) no longer functioning. There is also redundancy so there are many arteries/veins to take up the extra slack to ensure delivery of blood.]
Dr. Schanzer said I have no restrictions and he will see me in 6 months. He shook my hand and I left to schedule the follow-up.
Yet another health issue can be closed (almost). I no longer have to worry about a rupture at the most inopportune time. Only if the sun were out today. There's always tomorrow and the day after.....
More to come!
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