Hello!

Tuesday I went to Owen Sound hospital for the scope (tube) down my throat. I expected it to go a little differently. I've heard stories that it's not a pleasant procedure. I was expecting to sit on the edge of the hospital bed and be awake while the doctor scoped the situation out. I was told I would be slightly sedated so that things would be more comfortable. My friend brought me and I got into my gown. Next I had to answer a whole bunch of questions and then was brought into the waiting room where all the operations happen. I was thinking that this was all pretty official for a tube down the throat. The nurse came and brought me into the operating room and I was met by four people. I said "I get four people to put one tube down my throat?". I put on my hospital "shower" cap and little slippers. The anesthesiologist(?) tried putting an IV in my left hand while the nurses were giving instructions. The doctor than asked why I was there - why did I need the scope down the throat? How comforting! I had met with him already about this earlier. In the meantime I was getting poked in the left hand and I finally asked him to try the right hand (my usual) - it worked. The nurse put the blood pressure cuff on my left arm and my left hand started bleeding like a sieve from all the needle pokes! It was quite funny. The doctor asked me to come over on the left side of the bed, so I swung my legs over to get it done. That's when they told me I was being put out. The anesthesiologist said "This will go quick". I said "This is quick" and then I heard,"yep", and I was gone.

I heard "Sharon, we're all done and we are bringing you back to recovery". Altogether it took about 1/2 an hour. I woke up with a prescription on my stomach and I asked what it was for. The nurses said, "I don't know. Maybe this or maybe that." I said "Maybe you can find out for me". Apparently my stomach looked irritated and they had some pills for me to take. Of course I couldn't talk to the doctor - he was onto the next operation already! Had I known I would have asked a couple of questions before the procedure and asked to see the scope. When I asked the nurse questions she didn't have many answers. She looked on the computer and said that the doctor had taken a biopsy of my esophagus and one from my stomach. In 10 days I could call my family doctor for results. I have now had 3 biopsy's in one week. I am not too worried about any of these tests, whether they turn out good or bad. It doesn't play on my mind like it did last year when we didn't know anything.

In the meantime, the family has gone camping. Actually, I just came home to do a little laundry (it's raining out right now) and then we'll be heading back. It's very relaxing for me to be at the campground - it's good for me physically and mentally. I'm sure everyone enjoys the campground and it relaxes them. There is no stress and there are no deadlines. It's just a lot of rest and reading. The kids and I go biking a lot too!

Anyway, thanks for reading and keeping up to date. When I get results I'll fill you all in again.

Take care and have a good summer holiday!

Love from Pete, Sharon, Natasha, Heather and Shaun.