My Barium Iced Tea
My stomach has been funky for about two months now, so my doctor ordered a CT scan of my stomach. Little did I know what he (& the good people at South Jersey Radiology) had in store for me. The night before my appointment, I filled a water bottle like the one shown above, and mixed in 2 packets of powder (Barium). This turned the water white like milk, and gave it the consistency of a runny yogurt. Yum.
At 8:00 last night, I was to drink the first 8 ounces, followed by 3 more doses this morning. The first dose didn't go so well. I had a really hard time with it. I tried pinching my nose and closing my eyes, but it didn't help.
So, this morning I called SJRA and asked for an alternative. They had me come in right away and they made me Barium Iced Tea. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't good, but anything was better than that milky, chalky stuff sitting in my refrigerator. The tea got harder to finish as I neared the end (the aftertaste was not so great) but I did it!
I went for the test about an hour after I'd finished it. I was kept company in the waiting room by Regis & Kelly, then Rachael Rae, and the women of The View.
Then, finally, they called me back. The test took about 4 minutes. All that prep for 4 minutes. I couldn't believe it.
Best news? I lived to tell the tale.
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