The endoscopy

Ok, so normally I don't write about personal stuff on here. But, this relates to Celiac Disease, which directly affects my cooking (and eating...). And I've been getting a bunch of questions about it, so figured this would be the easiest way to share!

For those that don't know, there are a few ways to determine whether you have Celiac disease, but the only true way to tell is through a biopsy of the small intestine tissue. The reaction to gluten in Celiac patients damages the villi lining the small intestine. A blood test can determine whether your body produces a high level of the anti-tTG antibody and tell you that you PROBABLY have celiac, but only the biopsy can tell for certain. For this, they send a endoscope down your throat, through your stomach, and take a look at the small intestines.

So, after almost 2 months on a gluten-free diet, I was told to start eating gluten again to prepare for the biopsy. I was a little annoyed at the whole process, but oh well. I certainly got my fill of gluten products during the past month.

I was not looking forward to the biopsy. I had to fast for at least 6 hours with no water for the last 3 hours, and since it was scheduled for 3pm on a Wednesday, that meant 6 hours at work without food. Me without food = grumpy. Me without water = very thirsty and uncomfortable. Turns out (annoying fasting aside), that the whole experience was kind of fun. Getting wheeled around on a gurney, being hooked up to all kinds of machines... cool! I've never had anything like this done, closest thing would be getting my wisdom teeth yanked. But that doesn't count because I was in a dentist chair.

I was not going to be allowed to get myself home after the biopsy, so I had to arrange for someone to pick me up. Hello, Dan!! I drove myself to the office and parked the car, Dan would ride his bike over later. I knew I'd be given some intravenous sedation, and didn't know how out-of-it I would be after the procedure, so I texted Dan to let him know where the car was parked.

After getting checked in, I was quickly called back. An awesome nurse brought me to a hospital-y looking area with lots of beds. She told me to change into a gown and get on the wheely bed. After I did so, she started to take my vitals. A funny exchange while she was doing so:

nurse: "huh"
me: "what do you mean, huh??"
nurse: "are you a runner or something?"
me: "yes" (amongst other things)
nurse: "oh okay, phew"
me: "why??"
nurse: "your heart rate is just really low. lower than we're used to seeing. but that's okay, it means your heart is very efficient"

I would notice later that the monitor kept flashing red and beeping anytime my HR dropped below 50, which it kept doing (I was lying down!!).

After she finished and hooked me up to an IV, another nurse came to wheel me into the procedure room. I was very impressed how she was able to get that big bed around the narrow hallways so easily.

Once I was in there, they started to hook me up to more machines. They put 2 sticky monitor thingies on my chest and one on my side. They put a clip on my finger and oxygen in my nose. They sprayed the back of my throat with a gross foamy local anesthetic. Twice. After chatting with my super spunky and awesome GI doctor (thanks for the recommendation Nancy!!), a tiny little Romanian lady with crazy hair and clacky high heels, it was time to get started. The nurse who was assisting told me that she was going to start me on the sedatives, and that I'd feel the effects pretty quickly. And that I did! Weeeee!

After that... I don't remember much. At all. I vaguely remember them putting something in my mouth, to hold it open. I remember them telling me to roll on my side. And then, I remember starting to open my eyes, I was back in the staging area with all the beds, and I could see a bunch of nurses at the desk. I remember closing my eyes quickly, because I was really tired and I thought that if they saw me waking up they'd make me leave. I don't know how much time passed. Finally a nurse came and brought me some water and juice... shortly afterwards they brought me to go find Dan.

I don't even remember too much once they handed me over to Dan, I was way out of it! Good thing I told him where the car was :)

I don't have the results back yet, but the discharge form they handed me told me they took a biopsy, and that I need to go back on a gluten-free diet right away. Dan I and I decided to head out for dinner, for one last bread-filled dinner! We ended up at Bertucci's, the perfect place for the last meal ;)

Check out some photos they took while they were in there! Cool!