vifferman

Had the Transoesophageal Echo (TOE) this morning, at North Shore Hospital. I was frankly surprised at the difference between the two hospitals (the last procedure was at Mercy Ascot). While everyone was kind and seemed proficient, they were less organised. The nurse couldn't get the shunt in my hand, and had to have another go with a fresh needle in my arm. Meanwhile, I was having trouble not fainting (partly whimpishness, partly a factor of the fault mitral valve), Eventually, it was all go.
When I was in theatre, there was a mini-conference about whether the appratus in there was the faulty one or not, so they started to change it, and someone else came in and said, "What's going on?" The technician explained they were using the old TOE probe as the new one was broken. "No, it's fine - I tested it myself yesterday!" So, they verified this and set it up again.
The pre-op throat spray was most unpleasant: the tongue depressor made me gag, and the spray was rotten-banana flavoured organic solvents (well... that's what it tasted like). More tongue depressor/gagging, then more rotten bananas, then in with the TOE thingo. Much fatter'n I expected - about as thick as my little finger, with a fatter bit on the end. Yeah right! Swallow that? Doesn't look remotely like food!
A little more gagging, and down she goes. Much discussion and mucking about, pix taken, blah blah blah. The doctor's opinion was the valve was repairable, so that's good.
I don't think the throat-numbing poison or the sedative were that effective, as my throat was rather sore the whole time, and I was able to swallow immediately afterwards, whereas it's supposed to take ages to wear off.
They walked me outside of the room, plonked me in a chair, got my wife, and abandoned me for a while. Eventually they sorted me out, and took the shunt out, and gave me a cup of water (presumable to watch me dribble it everywhere), but like I said, swallowing was no problem (apart from the discomfort). Get this: when they took the shunt out, the nurse put some gauze on my arm. I asked her if it needed a plaster on it. "I don't know. Anyway, I don't think I have any..."
So, I put my clothes back on, finding the three electrodes she missed, and off I went.
Apart from the seeming disorganisation and shortage of staff, the cockup with the shunt, and crowded facilities c.f. the private sector, it was not too bad. Oh yeah - and my sore throat.
I feel a bit drowsy now (a couple of hours later), so I'm off for a wee lie down...
The Next Exciting Chapter: Into the workshop for an engine teardown, and a new seal for the oil pump.