Aug 01 liver joins the party

I am in hospital. 

Again 

In recovery area following liver biopsy. Not an experience I recommend. Standard procedure, we know the drill now, top off, sexy hospital gown on, drip inserted, identity check every step of the way.

Rolled into the CT room, they tape a plastic grid over your tummy, so they can mark where they put the guide. Into the machine, the initial scan taken, the skin marked, the plastic grid removed. Bit of local, (it has always struck me as ironic that the medicine designed to relieve pain stings like buggery). At this point I tuned out. The guide. I couldn't look. Essentially a cylinder to guide the biopsy needle. Stuck in my belly like an oil well. Except it was drilling for something else. 

Then the actual fun begins. The radiologist in lead gear, adjusting the direction of the needle, giving instructions in his musical South African accent (which I quite like) then click, a pressure and a biopsy is taken. This happened again and again and again...by the 6th I had begun to sweat and felt like passing out, despite the fact I was already lying down. What a wuss.

I didn't think I was in pain, but another dose of anaesthetic did the trick and I breezed through the next few biopsies. Then we're done. Lie flat for an hour, hope you don't bleed, roll out the door home on your mind

It's interesting seeing it from this side of the fence. Everyone is pleasant and concerned,and ever so helpful. I lap it up of course. Demand this, demand that...I can see I'm going to turn into a monster. 

Let's hope all this leads to some meaningful tissue and a treatment pathway. I can but hope.