Before and After: Traveling for a Scope (Part 1)

I have previously written about having to travel for various doctor appointments and tests before, but this one is going to be different. I have to travel 506.3km (314.6 miles) over a couple of mountain passes to get to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in order to have a scope procedure done on my salivary ducts.

I will be traveling home the day after the scope, and I've no idea what that is going to be like at all. I have never had to travel for a medical procedure before, let alone one on my face.

Preparing to travel for my scope procedure

Preparation doesn't look too much different than it normally is for having to travel to this particular destination. I have made this journey many times in my life. The only difference will be medication for after the procedure and liquid foods for after the scope. I will be on a liquid diet after the procedure because I am also having a lip biopsy on the inside of my mouth, so there will be a suture or 2.

From a young age, I learned it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected, and this is true for planning around your diseases. I know the things that I need to help make the trip more comfortable, especially one this long. We have things set so that, if need be, I can nap in the car, although that’s never an easy thing for me to do. I'm hoping I remember to take my pramipexole in the morning while we are on the road, as it seems to help lessen attacks during the day.

Nervous about the pain and procedure results

I am nervous about this trip and the scope. I may need to have stents placed into my salivary glands if my salivary ducts are too narrow. As my fibromyalgia may make the pains really bad, this idea is quite unpleasant. Plus, it doesn’t help that I am armed with the knowledge that normal people can find the pain too much and have the stents removed really soon after insertion; I really don’t want that.

Leaving room for breaks in the journey

The day we are leaving for Vancouver, I have to be at the hospital by late afternoon to meet with the specialist. Normally I would like to be in town the day before any appointments, but money is too tight to stay an extra night.

This adds extra stress to the situation because there is a deadline for arrival. My husband and I are planning on leaving early in the morning, around 4 AM; that way, we have lots of room for breaks so I can get out and stretch, and also for road delays from various construction projects.

Mentioning my RLS to the anesthesia provider

I remember reading an article from another RLS advocate about how some general anesthesia can make RLS worse, so I hope I remember to mention that before the scope.

How did Ray's procedure turn out? Read Part 2 here.