The Biopsy Wasn't So Bad

The biopsy was a success. That is, there was no internal bleeding or punctured lungs...
Seriously though, it was a lot more pleasant than I expected. I was unnecessarily nervous about it in the first place.
I was in the hospital from 8am until 2pm. The biopsy itself only took about two seconds. The rest of the time was taken up by the preparations beforehand (having an ultrasound to pinpoint the best location, filling out forms, waiting for the doctor) and the four hours of hanging about afterwards.
I’m so glad that my precious husband was allowed to come in with me for both the ultrasound and the biopsy. The little things he did to support me were invaluable. Like complimenting me on how much I suited my blue hospital gown.
I had the nicest nurse that has ever lived. She held my hand, stroked my wrist and kept telling me I was "doing well". I must say, I was quite glad to have her there when the doctor was sticking that drip needle into my hand! YEEEOOOOW! And then again when he injected the anaesthetic into my side! He had previously mentioned that some people faint when he does that stuff, and I can see why.
When he did the biopsy, it was the weirdest sensation, and it’s hard to describe how it felt. It’s kind of like getting hit really hard in the side, by a golf ball or something, and it knocks the stuffing out of you for a second. I presume what I felt was the needle skimming past my lung to get to my liver. It didn’t hurt of course, because of the anaesthetic. But it was like, "Ugh. What hit me?"
The next thing I knew, the doctor was showing me a jar containing a little brown wormy thing. A piece of my very own liver! I was ordered to roll onto my right side and stay like that for four hours. I had brought a book (thanks to good advice posted on my blog) but I also had hubby to talk to, which was nice.
Then the pain started. Not in my liver, but in my shoulder, which is what the doctor had said would happen. It’s one of those phenomena where the brain, for all its cleverness, can’t tell the difference between the liver and the shoulder. But it wasn’t long before my brain figured out that it could make my shoulder AND my liver hurt at the same time. Luckily, my nurse came to the rescue with some stronger-than-morphine stuff, which she pumped into my hand-drip. That immediately killed the conversation as well as the pain.
So that’s it really. I lay there for four hours, chatted to hubby, eavesdropped on other patient’s conversations, and then the nurse came and sat me up and gave me a cup of tea and a sandwich. By the time they kicked me out, I had become quite comfortable and didn’t really want to leave!
I would like to say a HUGE thanks to everyone who posted encouraging comments on my blog. The ironic thing is that I haven’t told any of my friends or family about my situation. The only person who knows is my husband. So it’s mind-blowing to have total strangers reading my blog and giving me all the encouragement that I need.
Cyber hugs and kisses to you all.