Friday Patti had a Bone Marrow Biopsy which would be the most invasive test to date.
From the http://www.mayoclinic.com website:
"Bone marrow biopsy and bone marrow aspiration are procedures to collect and examine bone marrow — the spongy tissue inside some of your larger bones. Bone marrow biopsy and bone marrow aspiration can show whether your bone marrow is healthy and making normal amounts of blood cells. Doctors use bone marrow biopsy and aspiration to diagnose and monitor blood and marrow diseases, including some cancers."
So we had some confusion about this test before hand because it said 'Oncology Chair' a half an hour before the Biopsy. We came to the conclusion that we were meeting with a Chair, which probably went to the U of M for schooling and as chairs are already comforting to sit down on, it would be the best thing to help alleviate any stress or concerns we had. It in fact turned out to be just the waiting area for which Patti needed to check in. A shout out now goes Patti's mom for being the chauffeur that day, we really, really appreciate it!
So to get started there were some hiccups. For some reason Patti's veins makes nurses swoon with envy for their ease of getting into. That being said, once you get a needle into them they tend to seize up faster than Minnesota sports team when asked about if they will make it to the playoffs. Instead of using a vein they had to prick her finger to draw the blood they needed. Then the bed they used was "broken". I don't know how you would do this, or why but apparently the foot end of the bed was in the head area and then vice versa with the head end. Now most people would say how about you turn the bed around. That, apparently is not how hospital beds are made, so after Patti left they were going to "fix" the bed.
To prep for the needle and drill (sounds like fun doesn't it?) Patti had to get an extensive butt rubs which she says are better than any butt rub I've given her which I just think is bologna so if any ladies want to test my butt rubbing abilities..I mean..well nevermind. They prep the area then give her an IV which gives her the happy drugs. Along with the drugs int he IV she is given local anesthetic Lanocane to kill any feeling in her lower back/butt area. Now for lack of a better term they use a small corkscrew device to drew into the tail bone, from that they are able to get the marrow samples and also the bone samples they need.
After the initial sample was taken the doctor decided they wanted to get another sample from the other side of the tail bone. They shot her full of more Lanocane and went back at it. The only problem was the fact that the doctor has never played the game 'Operation' where if you touch the metal sides the machine buzzed. Now as far as I know, Patti doesn't have metal sides; what she does have, though, are a lot of fun things called 'nerves' and it just so happened that the doctor kept hitting this nerve causing Patti to 'buzz' in the form of her leg kicking out like a dog dreaming. Don't worry we all learn from our mistakes? Well it took a few 'buzzing' instances for the doctor to give up any more attempts on the second sample. I don't think Patti was sad that she didn't try more in this instance.
Bandaged up, up she came home and snuggled up in the chair with her lappy (laptop, her version of a stuffed animal) and a blanket. Thankfully Aiden was staying at Uncle Donny's and Auntie Suzie's house with his cousins because Patti was absolutely wiped and fell asleep before dinner was ready.
Next up on this blogoscope of fun is the 'Implanted Port'
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