First Steps

So in order to have surgery, you have to jump through some hoops with paperwork and testing. Ofcourse I attended an informational seminar back in May and filled out all the paperwork for the surgeon. I procrastinated for a couple of months on submitting verification of coverage to my insurance company...not sure why other than being scared of change. But I submitted it late August and then set up appointments. I saw my PCP first and talked about surgery, she was all for it. I came back in on 9-22 to do the EKG and bloodwork...piece of cake, I was in and out in 30 minutes. I went on 9-24 to do an ultrasound of my gall bladder..easy, a chest xray..easy, and a barium swallow...not so easy but not horrendous either. First they had me stand on this platform that was connected to a table in upright position against my back with an xray machine in front of me. I had to swallow these crystals that looked like pop rocks and I immediately had an overwhelming feeling to burp but I was told not to. Then I had to drink barium, this thick white chalky stuff, I had to gulp it while they took pics of it going down. Had to stop once, felt like I was going to spew! Then the table laid back...I had to literally roll around on the table to coat the barium on my stomach and lay in all kinds of positionsso they could take pictures and then drink some more barium and take more pictures. Talk about awkard! The next week, I felt a lot of gas and bloatiness, burped alot, had constapation, then diarhea, then constipation again. A co-worker gave me a nexium the following Wednesday and wheww..relief! Wish I had thought of that sooner!!! I scheduled my nutritionist and psychologist appointments and my consultation with my surgeon is October 14th. From there hopefully I can have surgery pretty quick since all should be done. I just have to quit smoking. My PCP prescribed me zyban..seemed to work the first day, last 2 days I couldn't get enough cigarettes but I made a quit date of Oct 20th...the plan is to put them down. I have had weird dreams last couple of nights on this med...real weird, like twisted stuff. I dreamnt I had a brain tumor, that I kicked my daughter out of the house and that someone broke in my house and we were fighting with knives. I told ya..weird!