If one is good…
Two MUST be better!
Unless we are talking about colonoscopies! This week I had the unique privilege of having not only one but TWO colonoscopies. Why, you ask? It’s probably because all of the cool people are doing it. Hahaha!
Kidding aside, here is the latest on my crazy healthcare journey. I was supposed to have a routine colonoscopy in March, but my oncologist was very kind and through her compassion toward me and all of the testing I have gone through, she said I could push it off a little while. We decided to do it this fall, in hopes that after a clear report I could wait up to 3 years before I needed another.
I scheduled the appointment for Thursday of this week, and due to the ‘not-so-clear’ prep last time I had the special privilege of doing what is called a Double Split Prep. This essentially means prepping twice as much as ‘normal’ people do. Let me tell you how much fun that was! Okay, not really. I’ll spare you the details. I completed everything as described, but I failed to start my liquid diet a day earlier, so that did not help, and my prep was once again sub-par. I went in for my appointment on Thursday, took a nice nap during the procedure, and woke up to be informed that she couldn’t get a clear enough look at my ascending colon, but from what she did see everything looked great. That led her to the next phrase: “I would like to have you repeat the prep today and come back tomorrow for another colonoscopy.”
HOLD ON! What? Tomorrow?
I asked what my other options were, and she said the only other option would be to come back in 2-3 months. GAH! This is NOT what I was hoping for, however, I do appreciate her medical expertise and the fact that she wants to make sure they get the best look possible, given my medical history.
I went home yesterday with a goodie bag (haha) with more prep. I have lost track of the time spent in the restroom, and I’m sure our water bill will see a jump this month!
The good news was that I was able to get in at a different location for an 8:00 AM procedure today (Friday). I had to wake up at 4:00 AM to complete the final step in the prep, but I was more than willing to get it all completed. Thankfully, Darek’s mom stopped over in the morning to drop the kids off at school for us so we could get to the clinic on time.
A few things I have learned through this process:
Eating a whole grain, whole food, seed/nut diet makes the prep much more difficult.
My Doctor today was fantastic! She knew right away based on my age, height, and weight that I must have a healthy diet because the prep has been so difficult. She told me before the procedure that no matter what, she would take all of the time necessary to clean anything remaining out so she could get the best look possible! (I am incredibly grateful that I ended up in her care.)
The sedation that is used for colonoscopies puts you to sleep, but does not relax you into a state where you say strange things. One of the side effects is repeating things over and over during the wake-up process, but that’s about it. (ie. short term memory loss)
I get to start a low-fiber diet 3 WEEKS prior to my next colonoscopy (next year).
YUCK!
The procedure went well, and she was able to take a very good look at everything. She ended up removing eight flat polyps (which are oftentimes missed) and I am thankful for that. I know that had I not done this second procedure in a row, I would have ended up in a similar situation and nobody would have noticed the flat polyps. She was not at all concerned, and we will have the pathology results confirming that sometime next week.
Here you have it! My week in a nutshell. My best plans were all thwarted by this procedure and the prep. Thankfully, Darek was able to rearrange his schedule multiple times to make sure I was able to get to and from my appointments and do all of the kid’s errands and running. I haven’t been able to drive since Tuesday due to prepping and anesthesia regulations.
In other news, we did get our Christmas tree decorated at long last! This year we had several setbacks preventing us from completing it. We were able to decorate our new home the day after Thanksgiving and throughout that weekend. I am enjoying this Advent season. I love my Advent devotional and am thoroughly enjoying reading through Luke and the corresponding devotional content. We are hosting a couple of Christmas gatherings and I love the way the twinkle lights bring warmth to our home. My heart is full and I cannot wait to bake Christmas cookies with our kids!!
I am praying that this Advent season finds you well and I sincerely hope for a peaceful, memorable Christmas for you.
