On August 4th, 2009. Dad, mom, and I went up to Toronto. We had to leave earlier than usual because I needed some tests done that day. I needed a chest x-ray, and an E.C.G. (Electro cardiogram.) On Wednesday the 5th I was going to have my Angiogram done. I was really nervous because I had thought I was getting a General...turns out that I was getting a local...so I had no idea what to expect. Four hours later we arrived in Toronto and I felt sick, sickened by the sight, I hate Toronto. We got a room at our usual hotel the Delta Chelsea. However my dad let me and my mom off at the corner so we could start walking toward the Toronto General for my tests.

   When me and my mom walked in the door she asked me were we were going, I needed a few seconds to remember, we still aren't very familiar with the hospital. I wasn't allowed those few seconds to think though...my mom started to freak out, like she always does. Just then my dad walked in and she turned to him and started bitching to him about it. Now, how can I think when she's doing that? I started walking away so I could think clearly, and just two steps and she screams at me...like just calm the fuck down is what I would like to say. I'm now in a bad mood, she always, always makes everyone in such a bad mood. Well anyways when I remembered I yelled it at her.

   First we went to "Medical Imaging Center." That's where I had my X-ray done it didn't take long at all, and then we were on our way to "Diagnostic Test Center," where I had my E.C.G. When that was done we went back to our hotel which isn't even a five minute walk, and we got our stuff from the car, while mom got the room. In the Delta Chelsea there are three different elevators they go by colour...I always guess which colour, I get them right a lot, this time I got it wrong lol. There is, "Red, Blue, and Green." I guessed red...it was blue though! I know there was no point on writing all that and making you guys read it, but oh-well aha you read it!

   So we all did our usual thing every time we get into the room. Dad lays on the bed and turns on the TV then eventually falls asleep, I sit on the bed maybe watch TV also, depends what he puts it on, and my mom is all over the place unpacking, going out for smokes and making a ton of noise. Dad slept more than he usually does and I was getting really bored, my mom was sitting down reading something...not important so I asked her if she wanted to go to the mall; she said okay. I had to get dressed because I had Pj's on. I wear them on my way up for the car ride it's much more comfy...when I was dressed we left and went to the Eaton Center; It was around 6:30pm.

   So my mom and I stayed close together, but went in different stores at times. I love boots and shoes, so almost every shoe store I see I like to go in and look. Like, Aldo, and Spring. However it's annoying now because if I see something I like the price doesn't matter because I know that I can't buy it...because my legs and feet are always, always swollen. I don't remember the last time I saw my legs normal. I'm getting used to it though, I don't even wear my own shoes anymore because half the time they no longer fit.

   Later I went to go look at the video games in EB Games, while my mom went else were, I take forever to look at the games...I ended up buying two video games for Nintendo DS. I bought a pair of sweat pants and later we met up with dad and went to the food court to eat. Dad and I had A&w, my mom walked back to the hotel while we ordered our food.

   When we got back to the hotel my dad turned on the TV and he found a movie that was on, it was about five after nine so I assume the movie had just started. I knew one of the guys who played in it, but I don't know his actual name, anyways the movie was called, "Boat Trip." We ended up watching all of it, and it was pretty good. When that was over both mom and dad were in bed and the lights were off. Dad was switching through the channels while I got out one of my new games I bought that day and started playing it. While I was playing my game South Park was on, and I had to give a name to my team; so I named it South Park! Ha ha that show is so freaking stupid! After it was over the TV was turned off and the only light came from my Nintendo DS. I had to hurry and finish my Pepsi I wasn't allowed to eat or drink after midnight.

   My mom woke me up at 7:00am, we were supposed to be there for 7:30. I got my pills ready and then off we went, it wasn't cold out and it seemed to look like it was going to be a nice day...an actual summer day. Once we got to the Toronto General hospital (which is right across my old hospital, SickKids.) We went up to the 7th floor were the Transplant Center was...or whatever they call it (I can't remember.) We didn't really know were to go, so we went into the room were we'd usually go when I was going for my Biopsy. Like always there were a few people sitting down on the big blue comfy chairs...(well I don't like them, they remind me of when I was having Plasmapheresis.) And everyone had their blue hospital charts on the small table that is attached to the chair. Mine wasn't there. It was time when all the Biopsy patients went to go wait else wear. So we were the only ones left in the room...my mom had gone out to the registration desk and asked them; the girl pointed to a room.

   It was a tiny room with two beds, and the second bed had a blue chart on it, and sure enough it was mine. Not long after a nurse came in and did some paper work and told me to dress into the gown she had given me, she was Chinese and I almost couldn't understand her English. So as usual I put the hospital gown on, and got my mom to tie it, I can't seem to tie those things when you have to tie it from the back. When she came back into the room she came and asked me if I had shaved...I hate when they asked me more personal questions when my parents were around, I told her I had. The day before we came down I did because I knew I would have to anyways, so better at home then here. She left again telling us she'd be back to start the...I.V. By this time I was really, really nervous so my mom gave me two pills (Don't know the name.) that help me relax, I take them when I have my Biopsies, however I notice they don't do very much. Also it was around 9:00am so I got to have a little sip of fruit juice to take those two pills, and my daily medication.

   The nurse came back with a bunch of supplies...I tensed up for a second or so, I am scared of I.V's. I guess because I've had so many bad experiences with them, many times they screw it up and miss the vein and they move it all around which HURTS like hell! Especially when it's in the hand, which it usually is because I have one really good vein on my left hand...therefore that's always what they go for. I never look when they do I.V's or even blood work, however blood work is nothing; and I always get terrified when I hear them say, "Where'd it go,? I think we lost it, Oh crap, I'm sorry." or just hearing them sigh...Those are the main things they do when they don't get it. Anyways while the nurse was getting ready I was thinking, how many times has she done this? Does she know what she's doing? I hope she's good at this. However I have learned over the years...never tense up! Well, that's pretty much obvious isn't it? Heh, so much easier said then done. I mean some people are terrified of needles so you try telling them that. If they don't get it, and pick around still don't tense, sure squeeze your other hand as much as you want, which is what I do but I also learned to keep the other hand relaxed and as calm as possible. Alright, back to the story! So as always I looked away just before she pushed the needle in, it stung a little bit but she got it the first time! I was happy for that and no longer doubted her. She also didn't put it in my hand, she put it on the upper side arm, just below the hand. We waited some more until the nurse walked us down to the Cath lab.

   Which again another thing I'm scared of, just the entire room is really scary looking and it's always very cold. Of course my mom couldn't come in, so she left when I walked in, but the nurses who work in the Cath lab are so, so nice. I really can't believe how nice they are which is really good because they actually help calm me down a bit. So just like always it's the same as my Biopsy. I hop on the bed/table which is slim and long...say the width of a stretcher. I then fix up my gown so I'm not sitting on it or so it doesn't get in my way or bother me, then I lay down...and that's when the attack of the nurses come! lol.

   They are all around you. One was putting on stickies for the heart monitor, while another one was helping me take my arms out of the gown but still covering me, another one put a heated blanket on me, which was so nice! Then one got me a pillow as I then seen Dr. Daily...That's probably not how you spell it, but I haven't got a clue so I'll leave it like that. He's the same guy who does my Biopsies and he's really nice. I guess those two pills kicked in a bit, because I was on the table now...and not even nervous.

   When he was almost ready to start, one nurse came over and gave me two or three shots of meds through my I.V, she told me it was the sedation. (Obviously not the one were I'm put out.) Not in minutes but in seconds, I felt it working. I hate Iv's but I sure love the meds that go in it, because it works so fast! I don't even remember the entire procedure. I remember the doctor saying, "Okay your going to feel a little pinch." That I did, I did feel when he put the needle in to freeze that area (He was at my groin.) After that...I felt nothing. I don't remember anything else until I looked at the doctor when he said, "Where you sleeping?" I just looked at him blankly, was I sleeping I thought...and I think I was ha ha. Next I remember telling him that I had to pee lololol. He told me he was almost done, so I waited a bit longer but then I really had to go, badly. That's what I told him, and so he told one of the nurses to get the bedpan! Now, I don't remember if I went while he was still working, or if he had finished. However I do remember him saying, "There all done! You did really good, much better than all your Biopsies together." I wanted to say well of course, you guys actually finally gave me some sedation! Then I was set down to the 6th floor to recover.

   All I did was sleep! I do remember a doctor coming in, one whom I wasn't familiar with who told me that they were keeping me over night. It does happen, but it's possible to go home the same day. I also remember after he left a nurse came over and she asked me if I wanted off the bedpan. I hadn't even noticed I was on it lol.

   The next day I was still groggy from the sedation I got, we had to go up to clinic but also had to wait to be discharged. The nurse came in and told us to go to clinic then to come back to be discharged...she didn't want us to be late or miss clinic. So up we went to the 7th floor back to the Transplant center. We had to wait a bit longer this time before we got a room. Stella came in, and she said, "I've got good news!" She looked all excited to, "Your Angiogram went very well, and the results are very good!" She said something a bit in medical term so I didn't really understand it...but then she said, "Your going to have your heart for a long, long time!!" It looked as-if she was giving the news to herself, she looked, sounded and even acted really excited. I guess they had assumed other-wise because I've had so much rejection at first. Only one out of all my Biopsies put together only one...just one came out showing no rejection. Which is why I finally have a little break from them. My next one isn't until October 1st! So, from hearing what Stella had to say I was happy I guess I didn't show it because my body wasn't fully recovered from the sedation.

   Stella is our nurse-Practitioner. Just then my doctor walked in, my Cardiologist; Dr.Ross. Heather Ross. We don't see her all the time, I think this was the third time I've seen her. So she talked a bit about how the Angiogram went, and then I brought up the problem with my legs and feet, as I said earlier about them always being swollen. She looked at them, and told me Sirolimus/A.k.a Rapamune. has that side affect...however they can't take me off that medication because it's one of my anti-rejection pills. She also said that Norvasc/A.k.a Amlodipine causes that to, she wanted to know what I took before the Norvasc and I said Candesartan/A.k.a Atacand. She put me back on the Candesartan/Atacand. I thought they had taken me off of that medication because it was hard on my Kidney's? Ah-well. Dr.Ross left with Stella and we went back down to the 6th floor.

   We had to wait a while before they finally gave us the stupid discharge papers, and then we were finally able to go. I hate that...no matter what doctor or hospital it always seems to take them forever to discharge someone. Before we left the nurse told me about the after-care, which I already knew because it was the same thing as having a Cardiac Catheterization done. I have a really big ugly bruise right around my groin, on the right side. I bruise so easily, and they like to stay for a long time. I still have a bruise from about two weeks ago. Oh, and I was right! The Angiogram is supposed to be at the one year mark! Dr.Ross told me, she said even though your at the three year mark...Three years? Heh, not yet...however at the time I didn't notice. I'm only at the two years and five months mark! So my next Angiogram isn't until the five year mark, and again at the ten year mark! Next time I wont need to worry so much, and not be so nervous heh, it was nothing! So we went back to the hotel packed up our things and we were on our way back to Sudbury. However we stopped in Barrie for lunch at Boston Pizza. On the weekend stupid Dr.Michon's office called and canceled my appointment which was on the 10th. He's the family Dr. and he sucks, he's always, always canceling our appointments on all of us. Seems he's never even there or always on Holiday's. Ah-well, I'll use that day to go get something for my mom, her birthday is on the 11th. She'll be 43.

   So that's my story about my first Angiogram