The barium swallow proves I have a well developed temper

Wednesday 10 October 2001 
Today was a very awful day and I would never have got through it without my daddy. I had to have my barium meal  and it was as bad as expected.

First of all I had to fast for four hours so I was a bit peckish and irritable for not getting my own way, something I am not at all used to. When we got to the radiology department at the Children’s Hospital mum thought that she would be brave enough to stay with me but as it turned out dad is the only brave one in our family. 

It was horrific. 

They tried to feed me the barium in a bottle – who were they kidding – I screamed and screamed, then they tried to syringe it into my mouth but it was way too much and I was way too angry so eventually they had to put it in a tube in my nose – which really did nothing to appease my mood. 

Thank G-d my daddy was with me through the whole ordeal and he held me tight and made the best of a terrible situation, unlike mummy who ran away and sat outside trying to pretend the whole thing was not happening. I then had to have x-rays every half an hour to an hour later for the next five hours.

All in all it was a most terrible experience. The radiologist did however say that everything looked normal and I guess that is what it was all about so my tummy looks normal physically and we certainly know my spirit works well. (The radiologist commented to dad on my temper.)

The rest of my day was good though and I quickly forgave the parents for putting me through the barium meal.

I slept rather well after such a chaotic day, albeit in the parents bed, and mummy and daddy looked very relieved.