This past week I had to undergo an upper endoscopy. This was scheduled after finding a doctor who seems hopeful in diagnosing the weirdness that has become my immune system. I spent a week wondering about the procedure before hand, reading everything I could to prepare for the inevitable brain fog light sedation would bring. As the day approached I became increasingly nervous. As someone who notoriously doesn’t react well to even vitamins, I was sure that my fate would be altered by yet another medication induced illness anomaly.
After waiting 2 hours for the procedure to begin I was finally led back, husband in tow, and offered the finest in surgery center apparel for my quick nap and scope. Adorned in my fancy gauzy blue hair net, hospital gown (tied in the back), and non slip L slippers (why were there L’s on both sock bottoms?..I still do not know), I sat on my somewhat comfy hospital bed, covered myself with the scratchy white blanket provided and waited.
Questions were asked and jotted down, allergies stated, all seemed to be progressing well. As the nurse reiterated my allergies, my husband said “you forgot soy” and then the nurse backed the truck up…and over me.
Having a potential soy allergy is a problem when being given Propofol for “light, easy” sedation. In other words, you can’t have it. As the anesthesiologist and nurse contemplated my options, another nurse put in my IV and more waiting ensued. The anesthesiologist casually walked in after some discussion and said they would dose me with Benadryl, give me general anesthesia instead, and put in a breathing tube. (with this I imagine her slapping her hands together like a teacher wiping off chalk after a difficult math problem well solved) This new sleepy time solution was stated so matter of fact that it was as if I’d be given another fancy gauze hat to wear (winner winner no gluten in my dinner)…not as if I’d have my body sedated, relaxed, and then have a tube inserted into my esophagus to assist my breathing.
Naturally, I was hesitant…you know, hesitant in a way where a person cries and shakes their head “no” like a small inconsolable child. This surprised the medical staff, as if having a tube placed in my throat was so common place that I was strange to have an aversion to it. After grappling with the inevitable, I finally agreed to have the procedure.. My intestinal biopsies were gathered and I awoke in a groggy stupor. Other than a sore throat and unbearably awful headache, by evening, after much sleep, I felt almost normal. Until that is, the next few days when I felt like I had been dropped out of a second story window..fancy gauze hat and all.
Next week I will find out my results and hopefully this endeavor will be worth the expense and esophageal battery. For anyone who will be having the procedure done to diagnose your digestive issues, you really don’t remember the procedure itself. For anyone with a soy or egg allergy, you will not be getting light sedation my friends, so gear up for making some memories. You are going to have a few days of feeling pretty horrendous afterwards, no you are not one of the chosen ones, it will not be easy for you but if you are battling food allergies, is it ever easy, really? I’d say give yourself about 4 days of planned recovery if this is your future. Hopefully my adventure in tube town proves fruitful but if not, it’s just another thing to check off the list. More updates to come!
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