Well, I’m back from the “Barium Meal” now and it wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it would be….. In most respects.
They brought me in to the Radiology room and gave me a small cup with some crystals in it….and another with two spoonfuls of water in it. Said I could swallow the crystals and chase it with the water or I could add the water TO the crystals and drink it that way.
I chose to mix ‘em.
At first it tasted like grapefruit flavored pop-rocks, but then after breathing out it tasted like pure bile. UGH!!!! That was the worst of it tho.
She gave me the Barium “milkshake” (about 10 oz)and I asked if there was a speed I should drink it or if it was my decision. To drink it fast or slow. She said my decision but they wanted it drank normally- not in sips taking too long.
So she turned to write on the paper and I turned it up and killed it without stopping. She was pleased. So then I sat there fro about two minutes and then she went and got the radiologist. They had me lie down and roll over twice-I am not joking- to “coat my stomach” with the Barium Milkshake”.
Then the radiologist took about 20 photos of my tummy from various angles and then while I was still lying down they gave me a thinner version of the barium milkshake stuff and I had to drink it as they took MORE pics. Then the tech made some actual x-rays of my tummy and it was over. The set of pics the radiologist took was actually quite cool because I could see my “innards” on the TV screen while he was doing it.
Believe it or not- that was NOT the worst-tasting milkshake I had ever had.
Anyway, I just wanted to get out of there and get something in my tummy to get it settled so we went to Jack-in-the-box and I got a meal and it settled my tummy ……..for about a half hour. Then it just made me really nauseous, so I went to bed.
When it got too hot in there to sleep I got up and checked the messages on the phone and guess what? I have to go in today at 6P and work til 6A because we had an employee call in sick.
Eh- extra Christmas money, I suppose. But dang I really DON’T feel up to a 12 hour shift tonight.
1 comment:
That is really funky!
I've heard about the Barium stuff before from various relatives, but mostly just how it tastes bad, so this was an entertaining and informative post :)
Although I think if it tasted like grapefruit pop-rocks, I might consider that akin to bile. yucky.
Sorry you had to go to work after all that tho!
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