I went in at 7:30am to swallow the pill for the agile patency. It's purpose is to make sure everything is wide enough and nothing gets stuck. Tomorrow at exactly the 28 hour mark, 11:40am, i have to go back for an xray to make sure it passed and isn't stuck anywhere. Then I go home and wait for a phone call with the results and to schedule a time for me to go back again and swallow the pill cam and get hooked up to the device that reads the images for 8 hours.
I knew this process was going to take about 2 days but i didnt expect a 3-4 day event. And it really makes me think, what would I do if I was working? And this isn't the only time the doctor pulls me in for these tests with unpredictable timelines. I mean think about it: i couldnt go to work during these days...or at least tell them a time i couls be there. And honestly, how many jobs out there can you just tell them I may or may not be in all week and if i do come in, i dont know what times or for how long. Ok?...yeah i don't think that would go over so well! This is my week and how it doesn't seem possible to hold on to a job during weeks like this:
Day 1: Prep day aka laxatives!
Day 2: Swallow a pill and don't eat for an additional 4 hours. ..yes i know you're starving and about to pass out but wait 2 hours before you drink anything and 4 before you eat and try not to pass out, especially if you have to go to work!
Day 3: Come back in for an xray and then wait for us to call you and then come back exaxtly when we need you to either today or tomorrow. ..hope you don't have anything to do!
Day 3/4: Once again, drive back up here (40min for me) and swallow the camera capsule and have wires coming out of your shirt and don't expect to be uncomfortable if you have to be in public aka a job and i know you have no choice because we just made you take half your week off already! Oh and good luck keeping your job after you have had to be out so often for doctor appointments, hospital stays, testing, and of course, actually being sick. And FMLA? Yeah, you used up those days in the 1st month plus we don't care.
Ok!! My rant is over! I'm just hungry and cranky and thinking about this fun crohnie life haha. Seriously though, the procedure isn't complicated by any means! It's just time consuming the way it has to be split up over 3-4 days. It is also frustrating when you can't eat and the hunger kept you up all night and you also couldn't have anything to drink after midnight, which you wouldn't notice when you're asleep but of course that wasn't the way my night went (even after taking my ambien).
So there you are! Day 2 of the Pill cam!
