Turn on your left side

Last night actually was better than I had envisioned - Nick didn't start coughing badly until around 4AM - I got a good 2 hours of sleep. Ellie was up super early and then Nick slept in until around 8AM. I got clothes ready and got breakfast for Nick and I - Ellie had already eaten. Pretty quick morning here because I needed to get the kids to Mom and Dad's so I could get to the hospital.
Ellie and Nick both packed bags to bring to Mom and Dad's - scrapbooking stuff, trains and movies. I got the kids settled and then I was off to the hospital. I checked in and was told to undress (leaving underwear, socks and shoes on) and put on 2 hospital gowns and sit in the waiting room. It was a pretty glamorous picture - blue gowns, white socks and birkenstock clogs and my un-shaven legs.
I was called and was escorted to a room I haven't been in before. On the way the tech asked me to verify my name and birth date and I did but then I looked at him and asked if he seriously thought anyone would trade places with me for this procedure? We laughed. I was then told to remove the underwear, socks and shoes I was told I could leave on minutes earlier - hmmm - wouldn't it be easier to take everything off at once?
I was helped up onto an elevated table and told to lie flat. The tech (whose name I can't recall - Ted, Brian, Brad - something like that) adjusted an overhead x-ray machine to take an initial x-ray and show it to the doctor. Just like CT scans - deep breath in, exhale out completely, hold breath. The tech asked if I was told about the procedure and I said a little bit but I googled it. He briefly described what was going to happen and pointed to this huge bag of "dye" that would be injected via a catheter. I jokingly said I hope it wouldn't be the entire bag and he did a nervous laugh and said we would just have to see when the scope was on.
Dr. Gore (seriously, a different medical branch might be more appropriate) came in and once again explained what he was going to do and added he would start with a rectal exam. Turn on your left side and breath normally - yeah sure, I've heard that one before. He did his exam and then fed the catheter. I was nervous about this part because I ready some bad things. I have no clue how much of the bag of liquid actually entered my body but I felt pressure and bloated. I was told to move into certain positions and move my legs and hip various places and multiple images were taken. The catheter was taken out and I was told to use the washroom except nothing really came out. I came back out and the tech had me get back on the table for one last x-ray and then he helped me down and told me I could put my underwear, socks and shoes back on to walk back to the waiting room where I could get completely dressed.
The great news is that I have no leaks, holes or tears. I got dressed and went back to Mom's. The kids were watching different things, Ellie was in the kitchen watching cooking and Nick was watching Bernstein Bears. I did finally feel the need to get some of the dye out. Once again, I was not told what to expect after the procedure today - bleeding, how long the dye could take to leave my body - any of that kind of stuff. We had lunch and Dad played trains with Nick while Mom, Ellie and I ran out to get some ingredients for recipes. We all cuddled on the couches and watched Kit Kittridge this afternoon and then we packed up to go home.
I got eggs boiling for decorating tonight and then I ran out to the store to pick up the last of my ingredients. I stopped at Menards to pick up replacement light bulbs and a new fixture for the basement. The basement light fixture has been replaced about 4 times now - it is right under the living room and I think it might be all our dance parties that vibrate the fixture and burn them out.
I came home and we set up the table to dye eggs. We solid colored the eggs initially and then went back when they dried to do detail work. Ellie polka dotted most of hers and Nick pretty much re-dyed the entire egg. I love Easter eggs - they are so festive. We had dinner and then we bleached the kids hands before sending them up for bath time. I took advantage and did wii for a bit and then we got the kids ready for bed. Pretty quick bedtime tonight - the kids are looking forward to Easter egg hunting tomorrow morning.
I have a completely stuffed nose right now - I hope I am not getting sick and this is just the beginning of allergy season. I think all the dye has left my body now - the bloated feeling has gone away. Visualising my healthy and continually healing body and the new normal, Tree