"Moments of Peace" by Elena Goodrow

Peaceful isn’t exactly the first word I would use to describe an outpatient admission to the hospital, but that’s the word I am using today.

I got my first HIDA (hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid) scan today at a hospital that’s different from the one I usually go to for procedures and imaging. When it comes to healthcare, I typically prefer sticking to a routine. Due to ongoing issues with my typical providers I decided to switch it up this time. Plus, it’s closer to home which is great.

The past few weeks have been full of chaos for me as I prepare for my first day of nursing school, work extra hours at my pharmacy job, and drive around to many appointments. I’ve seen numerous specialists as I try to figure out what is causing my immense abdominal pain and other GI symptoms. The gallbladder is the next culprit that we need to rule out, and that’s what the HIDA scan primarily looks at.

I had to fast for the scan and I woke up at 5am to get to my 7:45 appointment on time. Despite being disappointed that I couldn’t have coffee, there was something so peaceful about watching the sunrise as I drove into the city. When I arrived to the hospital, it was shockingly quiet. There was a piano playing itself in the lobby and all of the people at the registration desk were so lovely. After an hour I was brought back to my room to have my IV inserted, and they got it in the first try! A rare occurrence for me, and I’m sure many of you can relate.

The day started off so nice and smooth, it was making me nervous on what chaos would be around the corner. I’ve come to expect it, especially since a lot of providers in my area are not familiar with CF. That makes treating me rather difficult, as you can imagine. Alas, the chaos never arrived.

Each staff member that helped me was so kind. I was covered with warm blankets, given a comfy chair, and I got to make my own playlist to listen to during the scan. I also got to watch the scan through a monitor while I laid there for an hour and a half, which I thought was so cool.

The radioactive tracer they pushed through my IV needed more time to make its way through my system, so they set me up with more blankets while I waited for a second scan. I spent that time really appreciating the kind hearted people I was surrounded by. I took deep breaths, observed the space around me, and appreciated being present in the moment. If you know me, you know I have a hard time slowing down. Today, it just came easily to me. It was the most peace I’ve felt in awhile.

Today was the perfect reminder for me that chaos isn’t always consuming. There are beautiful people and peaceful moments to be found around each corner.

But… the best moment of all was getting my coffee 5 hours later. It was delicious!