There was little pottery made at Whistle Creek this week. Instead I spent my time prepping for, and then having a colonoscopy. Oh the joy of aging! This was a routine follow up that I had been putting off for a couple of years and I'll skip the suspense and report that everything was fine. It was a little unpleasant to fast on Wednesday but I could still drink coffee so it wasn't the end of the world. There are also some very large doses of laxatives that keep you running to the bathroom for a couple of hours in the evening but again, it's do able. By Thursday morning, I was really getting hungry but I could make it another couple of hours. My brother picked me up and were at the testing center in a few minutes.
The test itself was one of the easiest tests I have ever taken. I didn't even need to study. Put on a gown, roll down the hall, get a dose of Diprivan ( that stuff that Michael Jackson liked so much) wake up in recovery, get the good news, get dressed, go home. Other than my throat being a little scratchy from the O2 there were no after effects at all. I did get a call the next day but no flowers.
If you are still with me, the point of all this became clear Thursday evening when I read that a blogging friend had been diagnosed with skin cancer.Treatable with a great prognosis but not something you want to hear. Had there been anything growing in my colon I would not have forgiven myself for putting the test off for so long. This was my third go around so I knew that it wasn't as unpleasant as it sounds but I just put it off. If you are over 50 and you have a colon, you need to get this done. Early detection and early treatment leads to early recovery. I believe the procedure is even covered as preventative care under the Affordable Care Act so if you have any kind of insurance it won't cost you anything.
Hey Dennis, so glad to hear that everything was fine. That's another test I'm due for! Thanks for the reminder and gentle push to get it done, you make it sound a lot less dreadful than I have imagined. Here's to good health!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Tracey. The test itself is nothing and all jokes aside, the prep isn't that bad compared to the alternative.Just consider this a public service announcement.
ReplyDeleteBeen there, done that. A couple of times, actually. Not the most fun I ever had, but necessary. I've known people, now dead, who should have had it done and died much too early. Do it, everyone.
ReplyDeleteBut- the drugs are really, really good, does that make up for the prep?
ReplyDelete1/2 way through mine I had a call asking me if I could change to another day... I said no knowing I would not go through that again in a week!
My dad had colon cancer and luckily it was caught early... but it also means I am at a higher risk. I had my first colonoscopy a couple of years ago. At the time I had a decent insurance plan and I still had to pay $1200 in deductibles! I was in a state of shock when I found out what the bill was going to be.
ReplyDeleteThe crappy thing (pun intended) is that $1200 could make a colonoscopy unaffordable even for people with insurance.
Glad to hear your results were good.
Michele, I checked on the federal website and it says screenings are now covered as preventive care if you you have insurance.Thanks to the affordable care act. No co-pay, no deductible.
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