Giardia

Days I've been sick: 2712

• head ach
• stomach ach
• severe fatigue
• cold sweats
• pins and needles feeling
• weight loss
• flushed feeling throughout the body
• insomnia (because of the stomach ach)
• some other gross ones that I'll leave out

Trips to the doctor: 13

Trips it took to figure out what it was: 4

Times I'v had blood work or other tests: 13

Times on medication: 6 (and counting!)

This morning I went in for my upper GI. I would like to share with all of you what exactly it is. First off, they give you a shot glass of white granuals, and another of just water. You take the granuals and then drink the water. This then turns the granuals into gas. Yes, you then swallow the gass so that your stomach blows up like a balloon. Then, they give you a 10oz. cup of a thick white liquid and tell you to chug the whole thing. It tastes like a chalky paste that they tried to hide under a flavor, but the flavor just isn't strong enough, and only makes it more disgusting (getting quesy just thinking about it). So I drank it, and they take a bunch of xrays. Then, I'm lowered onto my back to do another set like that, only I have to take two big gulps of what seemed to be the consistency of paint through a straw. Sure, I could handle that. Then I'm told to get up and hang out for a bit, and she gives me another full 10oz. cup of the really thick liquid and I'm told to drink the entire thing. I never thought I could do it. I finally did after about a half hour. Then they told me that it hadn't moved along far enough yet, and to go walk around outside for a half hour. So I did, and found myself in a "God" store, surrounded by books, cd's, videos, and all sorts of other "god" merchandise. You really think he/she would care if you went all out and purchased the jesus fish fridge magnet? I think not. Anyway, a half hour later they finished up taking the pics and I was out of there. All in all, a two hour ordeal.