Sir Ganga Ram Hospital

Dr. Chaturvedi of RGCI&RC finally wrote his observations on the slip of paper, the substance of which was that there is only about 10% chance of the needle reaching the place where the lesion appears to be located. Dr. Zaidi then suggested that I would need to undergo a  test  viz. endoscopic ultrasound guided FNAC to determine whether the sub-carinal lesion appearing in the PET-CT plate is malignant or not. The Google informed us what FNAC meant. It means Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology.This process involves a fine needle being guided through ultrasonic waves to the place in the body where the lesion is seen to be located.The needle thereafter sucks up tissues which are then sent to cytology lab for examination to determine malignancy. Dr.Zaidi advised that the test could be got done at Sir Ganga Ram hospital because the RGCI&RC did not have the facility. As the cost involved was rather high (Rs.15000 approx.) I rummaged  through the internet again, hoping to find a lab. in Delhi where this test could be done. I was hoping to locate a lab. on the approved list of CGHS so that I might not be required to pay the money myself. But I was not successful. It is not as if there were no such facilities but they were in hospitals- mostly cancer hospitals. And the cancer hospitals wanted that I should first get myself registered with them so that they could fleece me (or the Government, which would pay the bills). My dispensary would not grant me the permission to avail treatment from another hospital unless  the permission given to RGcI&RC in the first place was withdrawn. This did not seem feasible as the RGCI&RC had already charged me for a number of tests and consultations.  Finally, I had to seek an appointment  with Dr. M. Kumar a senior consultant at Sir Ganga Ram hospital. Although the website had informed me that I would need to be on an empty stomach for about four hours, Dr. Kumar wanted me to be  so for twelve hours. Of course I could drink water but nothing more. Dr. Kumar was not willing to advance the time for the test which was after 10:30 am . Since I normally take my last meal of the day between 8 and 9 pm, I would be without food or nourishment for more than 13-14 hours the next day when the test would be undertaken. But I was helpless. Helplessness is  what a serious disease leaves a human being with. I had to take the test, there was no option And therefore I had to abide by what the doctor had wanted me to do.So I had to go to the hospital at the appointed hour.As apprehended, the test would not start at 10:30 am. There were many formalities required to be completed. The completion of formalities consumed another 15 minutes. Then there was that mandatory wait for about half an hour before I was ushered in to the testing arena which was a cubicle large enough to accommodate the necessary machines and beds and tables.They asked me to lie down on the left side . After injecting me with the necessary amount of sedative they inserted the tube and needle . Of course I barely noticed anything as the sedative had begun to have its effect. The process was over in about thirty minutes. When I came to, I found myself lying among two three  patients who too might have gone through some similar procedure.Ankit and Aishwarya went about paying the money which I had given to them before I was taken to the test arena. I was still groggy when I got in to the car. I ate something in the car and came home. The report would be available on the following Monday. The effect of the sedative was huge as I continued to sleep till about  5 pm. Now I am waiting for the report, keeping my fingers crossed.