Esophagogastroduodenoscopy & Sigmoidoscopy
Monday morning I saw my neurologist, Dr. Begum. She is concerned because my visual testing shows a decrease in my peripheral field. This is a sign that the excess intracranial pressure caused by the PseudoTumor Cerebri has caused stress/damage to my optic nerves. So I am schedule for a fluoroscope guided lumbar puncture at the end of March. This entails sticking a 7 inch needle into my spinal canal, hooking it up to a pressure gauge the reading is above 200 they will drain my cerebral spinal fluid until the pressure is around 200. Then I will be put on medication to try preventing excess production of the cerebral spinal fluid so that the pressure won’t become excessive again. If the medicine is unsuccessful the last resort is to put a cerebral shunt into my brain.
Monday evening my parents boarded a plane for Florida to take a little mid winter vacation. They are staying with Donna a friend of the family at her condo. My sister Amber with nephew Aaron will be driving from North Carolina to Florida to join them.
Donna has arranged for them to have breakfast with Mickey Mouse and maybe to visit the Disney Park too.
Today Thursday was an Unpleasant day for me.
After nearly 8 months without menstruation I begin a heavy painful period the morning I have to go to the hospital for an Esophagogastroduodenoscopy(EGD) and Sigmoidoscopy. Then starting the morning by giving myself an unwanted Enema the required preparation for a sigmoid procedure, ugh not lovely way to start a day.
I spent more time in the waiting room than actually having the procedures done.
So started with the usual hospital stuff, they took me to a small curtained room, asked me some medical questions, told me to strip & put on the notorious “airy” hospital gown and hop on the gurney. Then the tech returned, took my blood pressure, pulse and put in an IV. Curtis I believe was his name, he did excellent job with my IV. He got it in on the 1st try and it didn’t hurt to bad.
Then I was wheeled into the procedure room, a Xylocaine numbing solution was sprayed into my throat to reduce gagging and pain as the endoscope is passed down my throat, I had a circular hollow plastic guard placed in my mouth so I could not bite down and to protect my teeth and I was given Fentanyl and Versed into my IV to sedate me.
Last thing I remember the doctor saying was try to relax and resist the urge to gag.
Then I was groggily aware I was in the recovery room with my sister, Anne and brother in law,Les and the doctor said they saw small erosions in my esophagus and stomach but myintestines look ok, but they took biopsies of all tissues for testing just to make sure. They sent my bro in law for the car while my sis helped me get dressed. Then I was put in a wheel chair and taken to the car. I remember on the ride home being talked to and responding but have no recollection of what the conversation was about. When I got home I went to bed and slept for quite a few hours.
When I got up late in the afternoon I was still feeling ok, and thought oh that wasn’t so bad but a few hours later the Fentanyl began to wear off. My throat is raw and sore, my lower abdomen and back REALLY hurt and I got a nasty headache. I took some pain meds but I still feel very crappy. I’m going back to bed.
Friday Morning I look in the Mirror and see my eyes are 1/3 way filled with blood!!! I guess combination of high blood pressure, pseudo tumor cerebri and violent gagging from having tube cam down my throat caused blood capilaries in my eyes to rupture and leak. Its more itchy and irritaed than painful, feels like I got sand in my eyes that won’t rinse out.
Hope I never have to do those tests again!!
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