Tests and more Tests

The weekly grind of the physio program goes on - and it is making a difference as I have more energy and feel stronger.

This is interspersed with periodic testing. Next week it is Solid Gastric Emptying - a delightfully named test for something relatively innocuous. It's essentially a barium meal on an empty stomach to see how quickly solid food is digested. Apart from having to sit around for periodic x-rays to track the meal's progress - it doesn't seem that much of a challenge. Fedex could learn something from this procedure perhaps when they lose parcels.

At the end of August it's the Esophageal Motility and 24 hour pH study. This looks like much more fun! It involves sticking a tube down my nose into my stomach and leaving it there for 24 hours. The tube is attached to a walkman-sized measuring device and is taped to the side of my nose to prevent it slipping in. I think I'll cancel client meetings that day.

I have also signed up for a research project looking into the psychological effects of being on the waiting list. Not something that I had thought much about but my quick preview of the questions has made me think about how I deal with uncertainty and waiting. I'll complete the test and then post my reaction.