I didn't look up the weather before leaving the house at 8:00 am last Thursday. I don't typically think about the weather being much different in Omaha than in Lincoln. If I had, I would have gotten nervous much sooner than when the snow started blowing across the interstate. GPS took me off the interstate for a little bit because of an accident that had completely stopped traffic. I went through Bellevue and Papillion. While sliding through the intersection to get onto the highway was no fun, I am still glad for the detour because it allowed me to go at much slower speeds and much less traffic.
Anyway, I arrived at UNMC safe and sound and even found my way with (almost) ease to the correct department! The receptionists were not professional or good but that's a story for another day. I got changed and the X-ray techs were very kind and calming.
Stand against the platform, drink in the left hand, and drink when told to. Easy enough! Except for that awful, awful thick barium. Oh wow. Not as bad as the drink for the colonoscopy but eww! The doctor asked if it was the texture or the taste. Both. I gagged several times. I can't even remember how many swallows of it I had to take but it was truly gross.
Then they have this tiny cup of water. They add a packet of something that makes it fizzy and tell you to "shoot" it. It didn't taste bad at all but the bubbles are a shock to the system. Oh, this will create bubbles, that's what it's designed to do but "try not to burp." Noted...I tried.
Next, I leaned back and the table laid me onto my back, and was told to roll "slowly, like a log". This is designed to coat your stomach with the wonderful barium you just drank. A few pictures were taken, and a few pauses so I didn't actually lose my non-existent breakfast. Only to be told that my stomach was not emptying the way that it should. She asked me about my favorite food. She said that sometimes just talking about food makes your stomach empty. It didn't.
Back to the upright position. Back to the chair for a 10-minute break to allow my stomach to empty. Ten minutes later, the doctor returned and we were mostly good to go. She got the pictures that she needed and then I got to have another drink. This one was less thick and had a very slight strawberry taste. The really cool thing about this drink was when she told me to swallow, I could watch the machine and see the liquid going through my esophagus. I love that stuff! Anyway, the drink was better but not good.
I have a small hernia. It doesn't appear to be causing many issues and will most likely be repaired when I have WLS. Also, they noted a "possible gastric emptying abnormality" as there was still food from over 10 hours ago in my stomach.
Next up, thanks to the results of the Upper GI, I have a nuclear medicine gastric emptying study. At least there will be no barium for that! I get egg whites, toast, and water!
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