radioactivity

A few months ago I had routine blood work done and found out that my liver enzymes were high. Of course, my mind was flooded with scary possibilities-- is there a growth on my liver? Do I have cancer? An ultrasound revealed that my liver looked normal despite the high enzyme count, but apparently they found "gall bladder sludge." It is apparently as gross as it sounds. I love how the medical profession can get away with some of these terms when it sounds like some stoner off a 3 day bender came up with it. ;)
So I was scheduled for a "hydescan". My doctor told me that it was a more definitive test to look at my gall bladder function, so I'm thinking it's like an ultrasound but better. No problem... until the woman from "nuclear medicine" called me to schedule the appointment. I'm sorry, did you say nuclear? Count me out.

My mom convinced me to go ahead with it though. "Why wait to see if there's something wrong? If you're pregnant, you can't just go and have it removed." That's why mom's are so good-- they just think of things we don't.

So this morning I spent 90 minutes laying on my back staring at a screen that showed all of the fireworks and light-bright dots that were going on in my liver, gall bladder and intestines. Luckily it was all padded and was quite comfortable- I'm sure I drifted off here and there- 90 minutes is a long time to stare at the ceiling.

The radioactive material apparently takes a full 24 hours to leave your system though. The nurse encouraged me not to be around little kids or anything (or anyone) that is "growing". HA! I'm so glad she told me though-- and glad that today was a holiday so that I wasn't seeing any kids! I'm a walking microwave!

Counting down the hours until my insides won't glow anymore...