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A
Humorous Look At Leak Tests
Here is another submission from one
of our newsletter subscribers.
Dee Erickson sent this to me in which she describes having
her “leak test” on the second day after her surgery.
Many surgeons, to detect any leaks
that may be present in the new pouch, perform a leak test.
The test is an upper GI during which the patient drinks a
very unpleasant tasting liquid and is x-rayed as the liquid
travels down the esophagus, into the new pouch and into the
intestines.
How well I remember my leak test,
but I don’t remember it with nearly as much humor as Dee does.
For those of you who are post-op, I hope you enjoy this and
that you can smile as you remember.
For those of you who are pre-op, this is a very accurate
description of what the test is like.
Hopefully this will be some of the last indignities that we
face as morbidly obese people.
Here is Dee's
Story
2nd Day: Thank goodness
that for many events in life there will forever be only one
"FIRST TIME." Getting
upright after being opened from breastbone to navel is one of
those events. Every time afterward gets easier and easier.
My “first time” was at 7:10 AM when I had to go to x-ray for a “leak test.”
I struggled up and out of bed into a wheel chair and was
rolled to x-ray. There,
all-by-myself, with no help from any one (I guess they are all afraid of hurting themselves)
I had to get out of the chair, step up backwards and hoist myself
onto the flat, hard, cold x-ray table and lay down flat. No bars
or rails or anything to help me support myself. THEN after the
leak-test was over, the details of which I have decided to block
from my memory all together, I had to get myself back up.
I slid
around like a whale on ice and could not get a grab on anything to
help me pull myself up. The technician, a little petite older
woman, stood safely just out of arms reach, and offered such
encouragement as, "No – don’t grab that – it slides.”
“No don’t grab that – it won’t bear your weight.”
“Slide back a bit- you’re too close to the edge.” “Others
have done it - you can too - just try to get your elbow under your
side and lift yourself that way."
At that moment guess where, beside under my side, I wished
I could put my elbow???? -
Then I
decided to stop being mad and embarrassed and I lay there quietly
a moment, and then prayed... I took three deep breaths and on the
third exhale hauled my blessed body up to sitting on the edge of
that table! I felt like a Holy Ghost Filled Wonder Woman!! I
think I even exclaimed something in tongues because the little
lady-tech shot her arms up and said Praise God!! (No
matter the motive - if God be praised!!!)
Anyway,
so far that has been the worst of the whole my ordeal. The next
few months should be a real fun time!!
Dee Erickson
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