High Anxiety at the Doctor's Office

Yesterday after teaching early morning seminary, coming home and having a quick breakfast, my mom picked me up at 8:00 a.m. to drive me to my newest doctor - a vein/vascular doctor. My appointment was at 9:00 a.m. or so I thought. The office staff was suppose to tell me that my appointment was switched to 11:00 a.m.! We had two hours to sit and wait. Fortunately while sitting there visiting, a gentleman (wainting for his wife) overheard my "missionary moment" discussion with my mom. He asked me "Which ward are you in?" I asked back, "Are you a Mormon?" He said yes. He is Bishop Moody of one of the retirement wards up in Sun City, Arizona! So for the next three hours (that's right, an hour past my appointment time) the three of us visited and shared crazy stories! He told how his ward is the opposite of our ward. Everyone there is OLD. He is dealing with one or two deaths a week, 80 widows, 32 widowers, 100 inactives, and can only visit between 9am and 4pm because people are in bed asleep after 6pm! His ward a "field trip" to the mortuary near by...so they can plan for their future. We died laughing!

About 12:15 pm out walks his wife. I see a bandaid over her inner elbow. I asked her in a panic sort of way..."Did they draw blood on you?" She answered calmly, "No, I.V. It is routine in case of an emergency." Well...if any of you know me and needles, I said "No one told me about an I.V.!" Then the nurse was sitting by my side and making sure my info was correct. I said, "Do I have to have an IV?" She said, "Yes, it is routine." I started to cry.

Well, after I was dressed in a paper gown!! for my vein closure (in my left calf) ... she stuck her head in the door and said...."I spoke with the other nurse and doctor...we decided...you don't need an IV." I thanked Heavenly Father immediately! Now...to make it through the episode!

This was crazy. I laid on a gurney like table. The doctor scrubbed my left leg. While they were holding my leg in the air, the nurse said "You have the most beautiful leg we have ever seen in this office!" Now...this doctor's office is in Sun City...average age ... 85! So you figure that one. They draped me in all kinds of surgery wrap and fortunately raised the part by my chin up in the air so I couldn't watch!

What happened was basically this...sonogram my leg until he found the vein that was not working properly (basically blood flowing wrong direction). Then take a shot needle and numb up the area with 3-5 injections of lanocaine ... it worked! Then make a small cut, insert a probe (while still using the sonogram to see where he is going with it) and travel down to the vein, puncture the vein and then insert a wire thing into the probe and radiowave (like microwave) the vein in 4 one-quarter turns every one minute. Then back it out. He was going to do my other bad vein, but it was on the outside of my calf...too many nerves...could be damaged.

Now came the clean up the leg part and put on a compression hose up to my thigh.
The entire time I was on the table I was stiff as a board. Trying not to move and Scared stiff. I was thinking...yesterday the doctor asked if I would like some Valium (sp?) so I wouldn't be nervous today. I didn't want to mess with drugs. Maybe it would have been a good thing!

Mom and I didn't get home until 4:01 pm.

I am doing great today. I just have to wear this stocking on my left leg for 4 weeks! I'll be glad to remove it...reminds me "I am injured!"