Tuesday, October 21, 2008

A Report on Nuclear Stress Tests

A funny green glow is emanating from me tonight. I touched my iPod and it was instantly recharged. The lap top is performing faster than usual. I am faster than a speeding bullet and able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This funny green doesn't mean I am not celebrating Fall Festival Day early, but I had a nuclear stress test today. The thing sounds worse than it is. I always bring a book with me to waiting situations and I was the only one of our group today who had a book. Everyone else was punished by having to watch CNN at an ear drum shattering level. I also got in a lot of Face book reading on my phone and some texting. It was an amazing thing to see how efficient this ran. There were four over sized comfortable chairs in our area and not one person ever had to stand and wait for a chair to be vacated. A treadmill stress test patient nearly rocked the boat on efficiency. He was really ticked that everyone else sitting around him got the injection to make the heart look like it had exercised, he had to do it the old fashioned way.

Once you get hooked up with the IV portal and get injected, you mainly wait. Then you lay or lie down (I don't remember the correct usage. Don't mess with me, I am Radioactive Girl!) The tech tries to get you comfortable and situated. The arms over head thing is difficult. My advice for whenever you get one of these, make sure you are in a position that is comfortable, don't think about what if I need to cough, don't start thinking about that little tiny sized pin hole of an itch on your right cheek, and if you fall asleep, don't do the leg jerk thing. I saved up prayer requests and prayed those minutes away. The first run went by quickly. Then you go back and wait your turn to get the electrodes on and the radiation injected to make your heart exercise. After hearing about some experiences from friends, this was the thing I was most afraid of. Thanks to all my praying friends, it went well and much better than anticipated.

Now here is the funny thing, they get you all hooked up and the woman tech says, I need to undo your bra for this. So I sit up a little, her hand is behind my shirt and that woman has the bra undone in 2 seconds. I told her this is a skill that most men wish they had. You could run a little Learning Annex class on the side here and make Christmas money. She was laughing so hard, other techs and nurses came in cause they thought a patient was having a bad reaction to the stress test.

The second time, I was back to lay or lie down. It didn't seem to go as fast. But, I still prayed and then did a lot of thinking. Then a lot of watching activity out of the corner of my eye. I did not follow my helpful hints from above and had my right arm at a non comfortable angle. I was released and so I left.

Tonight I missed the call to set up my follow up appointment for the results of my test. They told me it would take a couple of days, but the DR has them and wants to see me. I will call in the morning and get that set up.

I bragged too soon on my ATM prowess. I gave the tellers a much needed laugh. Roy wanted me to get some cash for him yesterday for a conference. In my floaty haze, I come into the parking lot and need to make a wide turn for the drive up ATM. Coming at me is a UPS mini van. How come everyone who drives a mini van thinks the thing is a bus. The guy had plenty of room, but he is giving me hey, I am driving a wide load bus here and you must relinquish all of the room for me. So I have to make this incredibly tight turn and just when I think I am making it all smooth like...I am driving up the divider curb. If I hadn't noticed this so quickly in my mind floating state...I could have been on two wheels getting cash. I backed up hoping no one noticed...no one but tellers with nothing else to do but laugh at the old lady in the convertible and I had the top down. Here's to winning most favorite account holder next month.

Of course I was driving with no caffeine in me. The past 24 hours were not too bad. No headache or anything. Even wasn't all that hungry this morning, but I did have a slice of toast and a little water. When I was leaving I stopped by the pharmacy to get a Diet Coke...only caffeine free, so I waited until I got home to have a Diet Coke and a salad for lunch. And for those of you who know my LOVE of all things Diet Coke and always searching for the best Diet Coke ever, it was the best one today, but it wouldn't rate up there on the top ten list.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Glad things went well today! Thanks for seeing humor in life and for being to express it where it makes other laugh! I needed that today!!

LMS

FitzandMolly said...

you always make me laugh! thanks for the updates, and lerve to you!

jené said...

My mom really had a hard time giving up her tea the morning of her test. Not being able to take her asthma medication was annoying as well.She took her crocheting and nearly finished a baby blanket while she waited.

With regard to the ATM, one of the locations I frequent recently switched sides for the ATM and drive up teller. I drove up to use the ATM and nearly jumped out of the car when the teller asked how she could help me. Thought the ATM had gone robotic!

What were you reading and did you finish it?

Michelle said...

Nancy...I love your blog. You always make me smile. One question...did you glow in the dark last night?

Anonymous said...

There is nothing as sweet as a laugh in those situations--I imagine especially for the techs! I was nervous when I had a stress test done, (the old fashioned way) and I would have loved a laugh. The guy (!) was so business-like. Actually, now that I think about it, I'm glad. Hope it all turned out very well. Let us know. You're in my prayers! Love, Annette
PS Email me if you are still working part-time and would like to drive over to the ranch some gorgeous day soon.

Dana said...

Thanks for the laugh...sorry if I was one of the scary stories, I thought you were NOT having that part done.

Oops.

Shine little glow worm, glimmer, glimmer.