[Nfbmo] Colonoscopy Aborted!

[Peter Donahue]

Good morning everyone,

    Looks like we've had our glitch for today. This morning I was scheduled 
for a colonoscopy upon the recommendation of our primary care physician. We 
went for the procedure this morning with hopes that it would be successful 
and that nothing bad would be found. All went well until it was time for the 
nurse to start the I.V. That's when the bottom fell out of everything.
    Some of you know about some previous occasions I described when I was 
stuck multiple times for bloodwork or begin I.VS. Today wasn't going to be 
one of them! After examining my arms and hands the nurse attempted to start 
the I.V., but without success. He decided to have his co-worker start the 
I.V. all the while boasting about, "How good the G.I. Lab's Staff are at 
finding patients veins and that they would get it next time!" That fellow 
will leave work with his tail tucked between his legs today. I've had 
medical personnel do the same on numerous occasions. Every time they 
over-estimated their confidence and I left their facility with painful arms 
and on edge.

 The nurse also went on and on about how he had to prepare four patients for 
various procedures in a hour and was one of only two nurses in the place. I 
decided to make his job easier, called it a day, and Mary and I enjoyed a 
wonderful breakfast in the hospital cafeteria. None of these individuals 
treated me last year when I had my ulcer surgery at that same hospital. My 
prep nurse for that procedure, a lady named Gloria was able to find a vein 
in my left arm without any trouble and successfully started the I.V. without 
any boasting or fanfare. It's too bad she wasn't there this morning.

    I've been saying for a while with the need to find veins quickly and 
with such technology as infrared, ultrasound, and Doppler available it's too 
bad  that someone hasn't developed a device to help medical personnel and 
patients guide needles to the precise location of veins making blood work 
and I.V. establishment a far more pleasant and safer procedure. It would 
ensure that procedures requiring the use of medications given I.V. can occur 
reducing instances of undiagnosed cancer and other conditions. If such a 
needle guidance system included audio feedback it could possibly create new 
employment opportunities for the blind as phlebotomists for example. It 
could also benefit patients with deep veins who must inject medication I.V. 
themselves. I was in no mood to talk tech with this crew after that.

    I'm home nursing a somewhat sore right arm. Taking a suggestion from a 
member of the NFB Writers' Division if they want me to undergo a colonoscopy 
they'll have to do it via the pill, (Video Colonoscopy)), or put me in an 
MRI Scanner, (Virtual Colonoscopy.)  This was a waste of my time and that of 
my doctor and the hospital. Sorry to be long-winded. I'll be in better 
spirits after a good night's sleep. I'll refrain from saying any more about 
this on list. Thanks for keeping me in your prayers and thoughts. Talk to 
you all soon.

Peter Donahue



"Given a chance to dream it can be done.
The promise of tomorrow is real.
Children of Spaceship Earth the future belongs to us all."
Flying for Me,
John Denver