[Sundae]

Had my Gastroscopy today.

All went well. The timing of buses was lousy - had to catch one that arrived approx 1 hour before my appointment, because the next one was bang on apointment time.
Not worth the stress of getting caught behind a tractor or needing to run to the department (which I hadn't been to before.)

The wait passed easily though - attending Quaker metings is certainly helping me work on my need for constant cerebral stimulation. Good job too, my appointment was 14.50 and I wasn't called in until nearly half an hour later, aside from a preliminary blood check and talk-through by a nurse.

I asked for the painkiller AND sedation as my tough-as-nails-I've-had-three-children-naturally Mum said her first endoscopy was a horror and she couldn't believe she decided to tough it out. It wasn't painful, just unnatural and highly unpleasant. She's since had one with sedation and said it was no worries.

So I listened and took on board.

Now some people have sedation and are still aware of what's going on. They get to see their own gastroscopy/ endoscopy. Not me. I turned on my left side as advised, after the needle was inserted. I got a mouthpiece through which the tiny tube would be inserted and was told to bite down. The nurse stuck a tube up my nose - gently.

And then Diz was jumping all over the bed and waking me up.
But it was in fact just a nurse talking to me calmly.

Up I got, off for a cup of tea and a biscuit (gingernut if you must know.)
I was ravenous. Got my results and refused to wait at the bus stop over the road, but wanted to walk along and check out the convenience shops in the direction of travel. Until we got to a big Tesco - sent Mum ahead to the bus stop and bought some jerky and some fizzy sweets.

And yes, I did thank her very much for being willing to come with me and look after me, especially when there was nothing she could do except be with me.
It was explained that one of the reasons for needing an escort is that the sedation drug they use is similar in effect to a date rape drug, making you very susceptible to suggestions. Seemed to make me quite headstrong. Or maybe just more selfish. Anyway, I fell asleep 3x on the bus on the way home, so I guess it is still in my system. Up to 24 hours they say.