Computed Tomography CT
The last physical tests to be completed are a Spiral CT/CAT scan and a chest X-ray.   These are tests that look at where your kidneys are and their blood vessels. It helps the surgeon decide which kidney should be used and whether laparoscopic surgery can be done. It also evaluates other organs in the abdomen. Both the CT scan and the X-ray can see if there are problems with your internal organs.

My Story
In the morning before my CT scan and X-ray I visited my half-sister on the ward because she had just been fitted with a neckline (a small tube is inserted into a vein in your neck) for dialysis. She was in a lot of pain and looked very frail, which made me more determined to finish up the tests and get to the final hurdle – the operation.

The CT scan and X-ray were pretty straightforward. Before the CT scan I was fitted with a cannula that would be used to inject a dye into my body. During the test I lay on a table attached to the Polo mint shaped CT scanner with my arms above my head and a line attached to the cannula in my arm. The technician watched through a window and informed me what was happening through a two-way intercom. The line was flushed with the dye, which made me feel as though I needed to urinate, and the scanner started to whirr around my abdomen. The actual scan lasted for only a few seconds. Once this was finished I went to a different room for the X-ray on my chest.

Advice
My advice would be to take someone with you to this test if you can, primarily because waiting around can be fairly dull but also due to the fact that the procedures might leave you feeling a little dazed and so you might need help with getting home.

The good news is that after this stage all the medical testing is over!