So here’s the scoop on my required endoscopy - Not as bad as everybody said it would be! Actually, I wasn’t at all uncomfortable and the nurses and doc were just great at the UCSF Hospital. My dear friend who will be the recipient drove me up and hung out there while I had the procedure.

I was so totally expecting the worst. But I was put into a bed with cozy, warmed blankets, and a fluid IV was started while I waited. I did have to wait quite a while, but I think that the doc had an emergency that he had to deal with. I kinda dozed while I waited, and then was wheeled into the endo room. The doctor was just great, and when he said they usually used Versed and Demerol, I asked for Phentenol ( I may be spelling this wrong). He was quite agreeable and sent the nurse for a couple of vials of it. He chatted with me about my photography and the kind of cameras I use while we were waiting. Then they started the goodies in the IV and put a plastic thing in my mouth to hold it open.

I went kinda out for just a few minutes while they inserted the camera tube thingy, but came alert while they were still pushing it down. I never felt any pain or discomfort or gagged. I watched the TV monitor and saw the inside of my esophagus and stomach. I felt it moving around in me, but it didn’t hurt. It seemed that very quickly after that they withdrew the camera tube and it was all over.

I had a small amount of excess air so was burping away like a baby. The doc said he found a hiatal hernia, which I guess that many, many people have. He said he saw a couple of irritated places in my stomach and it was obligatory to biopsy them. He said not to worry, he did not see any sign of them being malignant. The doc said that what he saw was nothing to prevent me from continuing with my donor process... So I was wheeled into a sort of recovery area and was on my way to change back into my clothes in about 15 -20 minutes.

The first thing that we did was head over across the street to Palio’s Italian Cafe in the Food Court. It has yummy stuff there, but they told me to eat soft, mild food. I had a bowl of Polenta with bread and butter. My tummy was soo happy! I’d had no food since 7 pm the night before and it was almost 4 pm...

I’ve been home a couple of hours and I can’t even tell I had anything done.... No sore throat like people said would happen - nothing. Don’t let people tell you that an endoscopy has to be horrible - it can be done very humanely and without discomfort. Anyway, one more step in the long journey to become a donor has been accomplished...