In the beginning, Kill and I would bring the IPad and watch shows or play word games in the depressing waiting rooms for the 2 hours that you've got to drink the water and iodine solution to highlight your bowel and intestines adequately. Then we started leaving the hospital with the fluid to go home to watch a movie. Now, as a true master of the CT, I give you the secret of a pleasant scan:
- Arrive and check-in.
- Receive your bubba of fluid and adorable Dixie cup. Drink one Dixie cup immediately.
- Tell the nurse that you're going to go home for the 2 hours because "you live so close". It's only a small fib because "close" is a relative term.
- Depart on foot or by car.
- Use your Dixie cup to measure out 2 amounts of fluid into a travel mug/water bottle (you drink one Dixie cup every 15 minutes over 2 hours). Leave bubba of fluid in car or hide behind a shrub to retrieve later. Refill travel mug/water bottle as necessary.
- If you're a super shopper like me, head into the mall with your travel mug and everyone will think that you have a Starbucks. In fact, yesterday, one salesman asked me if I was enjoying my hot beverage (tricked him, and yes, I was thoroughly enjoying my contrast fluid, thanks!)
- Enjoy your one hour and 45 minute activity and head back. You usually go back after 1 hour and 45 minutes so they can put in a needle port or they just stick you in the scan room - it barely hurts.
- Finish your scan and enjoy the rest of your day.
As a final note, Cat Scans or CT's aren't claustrophobia inducing as you go through a big doughnut but you're not in a tube like an MRI. MRI's are a little weird but close your eyes and hope for music to be piped into the tube because you're there for like, 30 minutes.
Love,
Cail
p.s. you can totally bring in a Crystal Light package or bag of iced tea to mix with your fluid. It doesn't have to be sugar-free and my nurses don't care, although, it might make yours feel happier if you checked with them first - people like to feel like you respect their authority, I've noticed.
3 comments:
Very funny but practical info Cail. But really.....hide it behind a shrub to retrieve later!You and Elle are cut from the same cloth it seems!
Mom
You are such a great teacher, Cailey! I love your step by step approach to making a contrast CT fun and/or tolerable, even right down to how to manage the health care people. But what if you don't like shopping?!! Happy day to you and your family. L
Thank you mum and Lisa,
Great comments! If you don't like shopping then a short movie would work. I'd buy a ticket for one that had already started or I'd leave early to return to the scan location. A library would be a pleasant place to read for an hour and a half, getting a mani/pedi, a walk (with your contrast fluid filled water bottle), taking a drive through cool areas of the city (like Mount Royal,Inglewood or Pump Hill) or you could multitask and hit the grocery store. I personally like grocery shopping because it is, still, shopping!
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