Esophagogastroduodenoscopy Adventures

In the practice of Gastroenterology an esophagogastroduodenoscopy is a diagnostic endoscopic procedure that visualizes the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract up to the duodenum. For the sake of brevity, this 26 letter word is usually abbreviated EGD. I had an EGD procedure done last Wednesday.

The procedure is not bothersome at all, since you are anesthetized. They do squirt some local anesthetic in the back of your mouth which has a rather unpleasant taste. Beyond that, you recall nothing. At least that was my experience.

Upon arriving at the doctors building, I was escorted to the recovery room and asked to remove my shirt. A couple of nurses then pounced upon me. One attached electrodes to my chest and the other jabbed an IV needle in the back of my hand.

Within minutes my gurney was wheeled back to a room with some computer monitors, a large black tubie looking thing, the doctor and his two attack nurses. One was the squirter and the other put the general anesthetic in my IV and I was instantly unconscious.


I have no idea what next ensued, but I have a foggy recall of visions in the recovery room. It was astounding, as I saw two of everybody.

Later that evening my wife and I went out for dinner and I asked her, “How did I get home? I don’t recall anything.” We even went out for breakfast after the procedure and for the life of me I can’t remember where or what I ordered. She said she was surprised I didn't remember and proceded to describe my odd behavior.

She said the nurses had called her back since my breathing was labored after the procedure. I was panting. They wanted her to encourage me to breath normally.

Once I did sort of wake up, she tells me I was telling the nurses what a great doctor they worked for since he only hired twins. I said it was a great way to keep their families close. After that Linny tells me several of the nurses, taking advantage of my nonsense, came over and introduced me to their twin. She then shooed them away by saying, “You guys, cut that out!”

I sat on the edge of the bed and just kept saying, “Hi. How ya’ doin’ Hi there. How are you.”

I am very friendly and outgoing when I'm coming out of anesthesia.

I have not a clue as to whether I walked out or was taken out of the building in a wheelchair to our car. What is scary is that I still don’t remember.

BTW, the tests all showed I no longer have an ulcer and the Barretts Esophageal lesion is no worse. Since Barretts is pre-cancerous this is very good news.