Rare complication

I'm hijacking Greta's blog with my hospital adventure update, as it's way too long to write on Facebook and it's worth of an "Only Gail" story...here is my journey to a liver biopsy!
Are you all sitting (well, of course you are, you are sitting at the computer). I am back home from my hospital ordeal.

Here is the update:

5:30 - Up and getting ready to go

6:45 - Arrive and get admitted

7:00 - In my bed, getting the vitals checked, signing my consent forms and reading about the biopsy

7:20 - 4 attempts to get an IV in, 3 nurses, two rolled veins, one miss, the 4th one is in.

8:20 - Wheeled to radiology where the biopsy is taking place, two great nurses review everything with me, which includes the risks, step by step of what they will do, etc. In amongst this I'm told about potential bleeding, potential puncture of the lung, gallbladder, bowel, and in very RARE circumstances, they will not be able to do the procedure. I was informed they may have to try a few times (although again, very RARE) but if the Dr is not happy with the site they will try again or abandon the attempt.

8:30 - Dr comes in, he is very, very nice and explains everything again, does an ultrasound to confirm where my liver is, this makes me feel good as I read they could just "tap" your chest to find it, that wasn't going over well with me.

Then the time line goes fuzzy, but they find a spot after 10 minutes to puncture me, I am marked just below the rib cage and they prep for the procedure, dresses, iodine, my hands are held down, and the anesthetic goes in - hurts like crazy, takes the knife and touches it to see if I feel anything - and of course I do, so more anesthetic goes in. Finally frozen, slice is made, needle is inserted (which is the length of a straw), and the Dr starts to verify with the ultrasound where he is going to take the sample from, 10 minutes later, he is still looking and pulls the biopsy needle out and says he didn't feel comfortable with that spot as it was too close to my small intestine, so we are going to have to start over with a different site. I'm bawling, some out of fear, other because of the pain and moreso because that RARE chance scenario is happening to me yet again.

9:00 - The nurse goes to give Mom an update as I was only suppose to be in there for a 10 minutes, 2nd Dr is asked to come in and assist.

9:15 - 2nd site is marked, they are going in the middle of my chest instead of the right side. Both Dr's think this is do-able. They prep the site again, sterilize everything again and go through what they will do for the second attempt.

9:30 - ARE YOU READY, this is when it gets good, the anesthetic is going in and I'm in agony, I tell the Dr and Nurses something feels wrong and it's extremely painful and burning, my chest starts to freeze, and then I feel my lips going numb, I tell the Dr and Nurses and the nurse says it may have hit a nerve not to worry, I'm crying and she is wiping away the tears and my makeup. Then my foot goes numb, the Dr takes a step back and looks concerned then I see the nurses face (the holy lord what is happening type of look), the second nurse goes running out of the room - this is not a good sign. (Mom is outside waiting and keeps seeing people coming and going from the room and later tells me the nurse ran out of the room that fast she almost knocked someone over). I am having an allergic reaction to the damn anesthetic. Now, I have told them about my complications but this is a dosey, the nurse said before her eyes I had a rash developing all over my neck and chest, they are removing my clothes and the 2 Dr's and the 2 Nurses are now just watching me. Then my throat starts to close over and I'm gasping for breath. The nurse who went running has returned and then stabs me in the hip...holy frig, it hurt! No warning, I assumed they would put something in the IV, but I guess stopping an allergic reaction is best done in the hip.

So, here is the end result, I have two incision points, one just a needle puncture, the other they actually cut and the needle was in, but my liver is intact. They had to abandon and will re-book. Let me tell you, I am not going back, I don't give one hoot what is wrong with my liver, they can let me suffer. Still had to go to recovery, but have made it back home. The freezing is wearing off, the allergy meds are making me very sleepy and I still have to recover for NOTHING.

I bet you think I make this crap up...The nurse said it's so rare for an allergic reaction, but that I can never have that anesthetic again as it will be much worse - WORSE - Are you kidding me, I broke out in seconds, and had to gasp for air.

Anyway, I'm alive, hard to believe I know!!!!! Still have to recover from the cut, but not a big deal, I'm a bit sore, but don't have to pain internally.