Monday, May 17, 2010

Bone Marrow Biopsy (a.k.a. scream to death pain)

Last Friday was my bone marrow biopsy exam. Yeah i've heard that it's on hella painful procedure. But being the optimistic me, i went there expecting just regular pain. I told myself that i had kidney stones i guess nothing is more painful than that! WRONG!!!
I went early as usual to the hematology clinic at NCBH (North Central Bronx Hospital) for my appointment packed with a morning smile and a kick-ass attitude. "It's just bone marrow exam and there's anesthesia (local), i'll be fine!" So i told my mom and dad not to bother going with me or even picking me up after the procedure.
First was blood works. I swear these hospitals are secretly selling blood to vampires!!! They really love to draw blood from me. Then the actual procedure. There were 3 doctors and a nurse. I was chosen to be in a study regarding a new way of harvesting bone marrow. In other words they wanna experiment on me using a drill-yes! a surgical drill!- with a foot-long straw-like needle in the end. Of course i said yes! Who wouldn't wanna be drilled through your bone with a fairly new equipment right?
They numbed my behind with the anesthesia and i was like yey! Then they started poking the straw-like needle all the way to the pelvic bone. And when it hit the bone, tadaaa!--pain,pain,pain!!! Doc was like "if you can rate the pain from 0-10, 0 being nothing and 10 worst possible pain, what would it be?" I politely said 8. Then he gave the signal to start drilling. And then pain,pain and more pain!!! "0-10?" doc asked again. I said 10 with a face looking like i swallowed a whole freaking lime! Whew! I consoled myself that the worst part is finally over. But doc has other plans... they still have to harvest the bone marrow and you guessed it right- PAIN, PAIN and HELLISH PAIN!!! I don't wanna scare anyone getting a bone marrow biopsy (i guess my warning is too late..) but F*&%*&$&K!!!!!! I wouldn't do it again even if they give me a lifetime supply of Gummy Bears or burry me with a million dollars!!! (hmmm maybe i would if it's the latter..hehehe) I never felt anything like that in my entire painful life. I had kidney stones and passed them out, that was hell. But this? It's HELL in capital letters.
So doc asked me again "0-10?" i was like 15! 15! 15! 15! He believed me. I guess the tears in my eyes, the torn paper cover of the table and my red furious face gave him the hint.
Going home was a challenge. And will take a longer story but let's say i got home with a limp, 2-lbs of cherries, a bag of strawberry and lots and lots of help from my good friends! Thank you good friends! =)

No comments:

Post a Comment