We headed over to the University Hospital and checked in. Of course they needed to draw more blood right away - and chose to draw from the exact same over-abused spot. Next I was called to the back. They gave me ativan to help me relax. (honestly I didn't feel like I'd taken a thing). The nurse practitioner, Christy, asked me to lie on the table on my stomach. I was surprised to find out that I didn't even have to change into a hospital gown. :) (there's a positive). Hank, the friendly and calming nurse put on some music. They rolled down the waist of my jeans and started cleaning.
She started by putting pressure on the back of my left hip to find a spot on the bone that didn't seem to be hitting a nerve. She numbed the surface then went deeper to numb the bone. She drew out the aspirate first (the liquid marrow) from the bone. Next she began to drill or dig out the core (the hard bone) section. I'll admit this was a bit painful. Pain was shooting down my leg and up my back as she loosened the section of the core. Sadly, the first piece was too small. She had to go in at a second site on my left hip and try again for a larger core. I just pushed through knowing it was all for good and better health will come for me because of this.
When she finished, she asked me to roll over. I was all bandaged up and applying pressure to stop the bleeding. Hank and Christy were preparing the core and aspirate to send to the lab. There was a pause and an uncomfortable silence between the two of them. The needle tool the extracts the core had broken and would not release the piece of bone marrow from the tube. They couldn't get it out! They called for help from three other doctors. After thirty minutes of diligent effort they through in the towel. I told them I was willing to go through it again for a valid test sample. With shocked faces they praised my strength and prepared the surgical table to start again. This time she went in on my right hip. The extraction was successful and the tool released the core with ease (thank goodness)!
In the end today, I suppose you could say rather than one, I had three bone marrow biopsies ~ and I made it through just fine. I pray the information gleaned from this test will provide rich answers in Dr. Olson's quest to help me. What an experience to remember!
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| Team of doctors attempting to save the core... |
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| still trying... |
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| one last idea...but no luck :( |
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| The core and the aspirate ready for the lab! |
