I left work early today for a Medical appointment at the Holy Family Medical Building. I checked in to Inland Imaging at about 2:40 for a 2:45 appointment. I was called in at 3 and outta there by 3:30.

The procedure is called Thoracentesis, which is the draining of fluid from the around the lungs. Let's see what Mr. Dictionary says.

thoracentesis

[thawr-uh-sen-tee-sis, thohr-] 

• Word Origin

noun, plural thoracenteses 

 [thawr-uh-sen-tee-seez, thohr-] 

1.

insertion of a hollow needle or similar instrument into the pleural cavityof the 

chest in order to drain pleural fluid.

I sat on a bed with my arms in front of me on a table, propped up on a pillow. The Doctor (Dr Simmington) poked me with a needle to numb up the area. I couldn't see where he was working so I don't really know the particulars about needle size and how much hosing they stuck in me. He went in on my left side and half way up my back, just out of my ability to see what he was doing.

I had a couple of small twinges of discomfort as he feed the hose in but nothing I couldn't handle...and remember, I'm a pussy!

Once they extracted a sample for biopsy, they turned on a pump and sucked 750 ml out of me. The fluid was reddish brown and watery. It tasted like gumbo. (Not really. As far as I know, nobody tasted it.)

Then the nurse removed the hosery, slapped a band-aid on me and I was off.

I am sore right now on that side of my body and I can't take a full breath of air without feeling some pain. Also, I'm very rattly. The nurse said that is my lung re-expanding and should be gone soon.

So now I am off to paint a sky walk.