Surprising Best Day in a LONG Time

Yesterday at 0700 I showed up the Methodist Specialty and Transplant Hospital in San Antonio for my liver biopsy.  It was scary to be there for the procedure but the staff was great and it was a really nice hospital.  They took me back for blood work which was nothing, only 3 viles.  Then we were taken to the Cath Lab where I had to put on a gown and get my IV in.  My undies, bra and sweats were allowed to stay on, which was awesome but, don't worry, there were still boob shots by 3 new people.  I think I have forgotten the tally on that.  My blood pressure started out high but lowered substantially throughout the day.

After about an hour of sitting in the room, I was taken into the ultrasound room which turned into my operating room.  This is where the first 2 boob shots occurred.  I was laying on my back in the table completely covered except for a small area below my chest.  The ultrasound said this would be a good place to enter so a little "X" was marked.  When the doctor came in he made a comment about rather going through the side but he would just do it through the chest.  He numbed the skin and a bunch of layers beneath the skin.  Then he tried to jam the 8 inch needle into the liver but was blocked by cartilage.  He tried to push through but couldn't and that was not the most comfortable experience I have had.  SO, we had to ultrasound again on my right side where another "X" was placed on my ribs.  This is where the boob shot comes in because my gown needed to be lifted and my bra needed to come off that side because of where the band sits on my side.  I was pushed around so the machine would get a good view of my liver and then again when the doctor gave me some local anesthetics.  The side biopsy was much better than in the chest even though it stung more with the numbing agent at first.  I never saw the procedure since I closed my eyes but it was over relatively fast, would have been faster had they not try to go through my chest.  I was able to see the liver sample that was taken and it looked like a skinny red worm...skinnier than angel hair pasta... like a single piece of saffron.

After the procedure, I was bandaged up and taken back to recovery where my blood pressure was taken every 15 minutes as was my pulse.  I had to lay on my right side for an hour to start the clot in my liver so I didn't have any internal bleeding.  After the first hour, I was given a box lunch that doesn't really deserve any other mention...hospital food always sucks.  I was also given some meds for the pain that was in my side and shoulder.  The med was a combo of Tylenol and Vicodin.  It was awesome.  The pain left and all I was left with was a nice calm feeling.  A day that started with scared sad feelings turned out better than expected because for a few hours I could rest and not think about Lupus or why I was there in the first place. 

Recovery has been difficult emotionally because I cannot lift anything which means no lifting Jackson.  He is having a rough time because his first tooth is coming in.  Today I felt the sharp edges that have broken through his gums.  Needlesstosay, my husband is my trooper.  He has picked up so much slack and even though it has been rough, he never gives up.  I could not do this without him.  One more day of recovery to go.  It isn't too bad today.  I feel like I was punched in the ribs and my allergies are giving my lungs a rough time. 

Today's Blessings:  Friends who helped us with Jackson by making sure he safely made it to daycare so I could make it to the hospital so early.  Trusting someone else with your child is hard but they made it so easy.  I will always be grateful of them.