Stress Test

The test was scheduled at 7:15 this morning which was stress enough! I could have changed it  but back in the "then" of that time when the appointment was made, I decided I could do it! Well, I did but that is awfully early! When I got there, I casually mentioned I had had a cup of coffee to be asked in horror, "But, didn’t you get the instructions!?" No, actually, I had gotten nothing. This was no problem as long as I successfully did the treadmill test; if I failed to do this, I would have to come back on another day to take the medication test because I had drunk the cup of coffee!  So, since I really didn’t want to come back again, I resolved that I would get through the treadmill test!

First thing was the setting up of a thing in my arm into which they were going to inject contrast. Actually, now I am thinking about it, I think he actually injected some stuff at that time. Then I had to wait for 45 minutes while it percolated around my veins. This was followed by lying on my back with my arms over my head for 17 minutes {I asked} while a camera slowly inched around my torso taking pictures of the blood moving around my veins and arteries. The worst part of this was actually keeping my arms above my head for that length of time.

Then it was off to the fun part, the actual test. Electrodes were fastened all over me and I was positioned on the treadmill. Then the same man who had put the contrast in before put in some more. I am rather confused about this but I think I had started walking by then. The machine started slowly but it was definitely set for walking uphill. The tech kept asking me questions while I was walking and for a short while I could answer without losing my breath. Then it got almost to the edge of running and that was when I asked how much longer! She said I had got to the "stress " level and had to hold it for another half minute. I did it with a lot of gasping for breath! After that, I sat on a bed with blood pressure being taken until it and my breathing dropped back to normal.

I thought I could go home after that, but no, it was another 17 minute session under the camera with my arms above my head. The arms above the head was the only part where I was in a small amout of pain, or perhaps I should say a moderate amount of fairly severe discomfort! And after that, I DID get to go home. It was an interesting experience and I should be getting information about it when I meet with my doctor. Actually, I don’t have an appointment set so I expect I should call about that.

QUOTATIONS:

"There is only one success – to be able to spend your life in your own way."

Christopher Darlington Morley (1890-1957)