My Hospital Experience For Today :o)

Well, last night when I posted on here I was ecstatic to get back to my chicken broth and then bowl of strawberry jello!  Let me just say that chicken broth and jello never tasted soooooooo good especially since I hadn't eaten anything since breakfast yesterday morning until about 6:30 last evening!!!  I had called my nephew who is advanced in the nursing field and he gave me some good tips.  Thanks so much, Mike!!!  And I am so glad that yesterday and today are now history with medicines and tests.  Oh, my what a time.  We got to the hospital early as I had to register since I've never been to this particular one.  After that, we went and stood in line at the Radiology Department where the test for my kidneys with the dye was going to take place.  Finally, a gentleman came out in the area where I was waiting and called my name.  I followed him back through the halls to a place where there were little rooms with curtains ~ NO doors ~ these were their changing rooms.  OKIE DOKIE!!  I put on the beautiful gown he had given me and then stepped out in the hall.  He came out of one of the x~ray rooms and asked me to follow him where I was instructed to climb up on the table.  Can anyone tell me why they don't make those x~ray tables with some kind of cushioning?  My back was hurting so bad.  He did a few x~rays of the kidney area.  In just a few minutes he walked to the door and said he'd be right back.  When he came back, he had Dr. Taylor with him who was very kind and came to inquire why I was having this test done.  She also asked if I'd ever had it done before to which I told her no.  Then she explained about putting in the IV with dye and I left her know my stomach was still a little yucky!!  I also told her that usually IV people (haha! mainly nurses trying to get blood) have trouble finding veins in my arms and have to use the back of my hand instead.  Well, of course as nice as she was she did not really apparently listen to what I had told her and start wiping the inside of my arm with an alcohol ball.  I'm thinking ~ you've got to be kidding!!!  But I just laid there hoping everything would be okay.  NOT!!   When she put that needle in I thought I'd go through the ceiling.  She said they have to use a large needle because of the dye and whatever she did didn't work.  It was very painful, believe me and then she pulled it out and the gentleman grabbed a piece of gauze and tape to wrap around my arm.  He did it very tight which helped the pain a little!  Then she took my hand and told me to make a fist while she was using another alcohol ball.  She told me this would hurt worse than in my arm and she was pretty close to being right!!  I think the one in my arm must have started bleeding and she didn't like that.  After all of that, she left and the x~ray technician continued with his job.  I was in there about 45 minutes or so.  The top of my hand isn't too sore, but my arm is very, very sore and swollen a little bit.  When I was finished there and dressed again, I went to the lab for blood work.  The lady who was working with me saw the bandages on my arm and asked what I had done.  I explained to which she said she wasn't sure if they could do the blood work since I was just injected with the dye.  Half hearted I was happy as I really didn't feel like being poked again!!  She made a phone call to someone to ask what she should do and they informed her it would be okay.  I sighed (inwardly) and then thought I might as well get it all done in one day.  I retold my story how people have a hard time getting blood from my arm because of the veins.  She looked and felt around to come to the conclusion she had found a good one!  At that point, I'm not sure what I was thinking.  I made the fist and she poked the needle in.  I felt a little poke and looked at her and said, "That was a piece of cake compared to the other needles I was poked with earlier!"  I was really happy as I didn't want to go through more jabbing.  We left the hospital and on the way home stopped at Wendy's for lunch.  This was going to be my first meal since breakfast yesterday!  I was determined that I was going to start dieting, so I ordered a Spicy Chicken Caesar Salad.  It was delicious!!  We got home and I came in the house for a few minutes and then went over to my office to try to conquer the mountain of work that was on my desk.  I did and got to come home finally around 5:30.  For dinner I made chicken on the George Foreman Grill and had a huge salad.  Dennis wanted a baked potato and pork & beans.  So, far on my first day of dieting has gone very well!  I'm proud of myself.  Tomorrow I need to go to the store and get some fruits and light snacks.  I want something other than jello :o)  My day ended well, but I am very tired and still feel a little washed out.  But tomorrow is a new day and I don't have to face this . . . . .