Ultrasound, by Jenna, Age 16
Ultrasounds are about the easiest test that you can have done in a hospital,
and they don't hurt at all. Also, a good part about an ultrasound
is that it can tell the doctors a lot about whatever problem you may have
with your intestines or in other abdominal areas. So, first of all when
you go to have an ultrasound, you (of course) check in at the desk, then
you go to the waiting area where they may have a T.V. or magazines to
catch your interest. Then, after a half hour or so of waiting, the nurse
calls you, and yes, your parent or guardian is allowed to go with you
in the room.
The room that you go into will be dark but not pitch-black,
there will be a bed and a computer with a lot of gadgets on the "keyboard"
part of it. So, you will lie down on the bed and lift up your shirt (you
don't have to take it off). The special kind of nurse called an ultrasonographer
takes this thing that looks like a white square block with a chord connected
to the computer, and puts some goopy stuff on the end of it. Normally
the ultrasonographers heat the goop up so that it isn't cold when
they put it on your skin.
After that, they apply the white block with
the goop on it to you skin and turn the computer so that you can also
see what the inside of you looks like. This process has absolutely no
needles involved, just to remind you. Sometimes they might have to press
kind of hard on your stomach in case they can't quite see what they
need to, but after that, the ultrasonographer will leave through a different
door to tell the doctor, a radiologist, that your pictures are done. Then
the doctor will come in and talk with you and set up what needs to be
done from there. After that you get to wipe off your belly even though
it will still feel wet, and it's time to go home!
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