Some days back I had to visit a diagnostic centre
for some investigations. I usually get myself checked at regular intervals but
of late there was some issue with gastritis that had been bothering me. After trying
the conservative medications that we usually prescribe to our patients, I felt
as if the problem was a bit resolved but not completely. My due date for
getting the routine tests was near and so I decided to get more detailed
investigation done this time. A good start towards preventive, rather screening
for a disease, I thought.
Being an anaesthesiologist, I routinely do cannulations,
as well as draw blood whenever required for intraoperative investigations like
ABG etc. but, the thought of getting myself pierced by the technician’s needle
for aspiration of a blood sample to get my blood values evaluated felt an
uneasy affair.
Yes! I am a human after all and years of being in
the medical practice had changed little when it comes to piercing myself. The night
was rather sleepless and there was a sever bout of gastritis possibly owing to
the hectic schedule that I had to go through over the past few days. But as I was
already going for the investigations, I also decided to go for an USG.
Early morning, I was up and out of the bed and
rushed to the laboratory to give the morning samples. The moment before the
needle pierced into my vein, I felt cold sweats building on my forehead in the
well ventilated and conditioned atmosphere of the laboratory. Anyway, having
done with the bloody affair, it was now turn to drink water and fill my bladder
with as much piss as possible and still not go get relieved. You felt as if you’d
burst and still you have to patiently hold on.
The moment I lay myself on the bed, the radiologist recognized
my and as a matter of courtesy exchanged greetings while in my mind I was
perplexed at having to go through all such stuff. I wanted to rush into the loo
and piss myself to heaven. Anyway, she asked – what’s the matter with you,
here? What’s wrong?
I told her of my abdominal pain.
As she probed my tummy, although I was quiet sure it
was a case of gastritis, but a strange fear grasped me – what if it was a
tumour causing the things? Who knows what may come out of it!
At the end of the procedure as she gestured me to
get up and wipe myself of the gooey jelly I looked at her expectantly and she
said smiling – what? Nothing’s wrong.
Those few moments till her voice reached my ears, so
tense and terrible. I wonder how so many people might feel everyday when they
wait for the results dictated onto them. The wait seems never ending.
