Inside the Talking Donut

The good doctor said he needs to put a stint in my belly. Oh ya?? I’m not sure I should agree with his diagnosis. The good doctor said he found another blockage in my artery. A few weeks ago he removed a blockage in my left leg. He performed an Angioplasty. I spent the night in the hospital and went home the next day.

Now he tells me a have a blockage near my belly button. Quite odd I thought. But he showed pictures of the blockage and now I am a believer.

So, the first step in the procedure is to get a blood test at the Baton Rouge Clinic. Here I go walking into the waiting room. I saw a line of people the length of the room. I’m probably the 19th person in line. But the line moves fast. Some patients go to get a blood test; some go to get an x-ray. I’m scheduled for both.

I’ve been to the lab so many times I always ask for Mrs. Dorothy. She has been drawing blood for more than 12 years and is an expert. At least I think so. My 89 year old veins in both arms are small and hidden. So Mrs. Dorothy decided to draw the blood from the back of my left hand. She wrapped the wound in an ace gauze bandage.

While I am waiting for the doctor to read my blood sample, I am sitting in another small waiting room. Patients by the dozen go in and out of the x-ray-ray room. Jean went to the desk to check to see is the blood test had been lost. But alas it was not lost but in the line to be read.

Meanwhile, I went to the men’s room. Good thing because when I came back they told me I was next for the x-ray room. Three nurses surrounded me in the x-ray room. One asked questions, listened and the other recorded my responses. The third said she would be putting a needle in my arm and inject some medicine. She told me it might feel like you have to “go” but don’t! We do not want you to wet your pants. (Nor do I want to!!)

The x-ray machine was not like others I have seen. This one looked about 8” tall and had a sliding table that slid into a large hole in the donut. The apparatus reminded me of a donut. The nurse said the medicine was warm and she talked to me as she injected the medicine.

So, with me on my back and my hands over my head I slid into the talking donut. It said, “Hold your breath.” “Now breathe.” The message was repeated 5 or 6 times. Then the nurse said I could pull up my pants (they were down at my ankles) and go home. What a relief!

Great words -- “Go Home”. And do I did. Jean helped me to the car and off we went. “Home”.
A great place to be! A great place to be waiting for instruction regarding upcoming operation.

This blog was written by a man who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s . He will be 90 in ‘09. He is a volunteer with Alzheimer’s Services.