More catching up...

[mapsedge]

Was out most of the day on Wednesday and all of yesterday prepping for and getting a colonoscopy. Yeah, I'm only 39, but there's a strong history of colon cancer in my family, and my doctor figured we might as well get started.

I had heard, and confirmed the truth of it, that the prep is worse than the actual procedure, for which I was sedated anyway. One of the chemicals in the prep kit causes nausea in most people who use it, and I was no exception. My body reacted badly to the last cocktail, and combined with dehydration, yesterday morning was the sickest I have been since I was a child with the flu.

mljm and I have been together for fifteen years, and in all that time she has never seen me throw up, never so sick that I could not stand unsupported. After a day's prep - no food and plenty of cleaning chemicals - there was nothing to come up really, but it doesn't mean my body didn't try. Within five minutes, I had sweated through my clothes enough that I had to change before we left, and had to be dressed. I had no strength to do it myself.

The drive was the worst, because of the stop and go traffic, and when Michelle asked the nurse at the office for a wheelchair, they almost cancelled my appointment to make M take me to the emergency room. Like fucking hell, I thought, I'm not going through this again. I forced myself to walk in under my own steam, and by God got 'er done. The Demerol and whatever other sedative they gave me was a real blessing. I was nauseous off and on all day, but nothing like the morning. I'm very thankful for my wife, who took care of me (while not feeling all that whippy herself), making me drink and bringing me piles of saltines, and for my in-laws, who took the kids so the house would be quiet.

Better today, though the muscles of my upper back and shoulders are still sore from the violence of the morning, the muscles of my abdomen sore from the distention of the procedure. I still haven't had a real meal, but after more than 24 hours without food I don't want to push my luck. Eating lightly, drinking a lot.

The doctor didn't find anything amiss, which is the real good news, and I'm good for another five years. Colon cancer is completely preventable because it presents as a polyp that can be removed before the disease spreads.

So, would I willingly go through it again? Let's compare: 2 days of discomfort from not being able to eat, one real bad bout of sickness versus feeling that bad for three days out of every week on several weeks worth of chemotherapy.

I'll take the two days, thanks, and be thankful for a clean bill of health.

Comments

yeah but...

[themadblonde]

sympathies anyway, it still sounds ghastly. I really REALLY hate that feeling of the body continuing to try to bring stuff up (or push it out, or worse, both together) long after there's anything to purge.

[retdet.livejournal.com]

I hated the prep too. But the drugs were good :)

[starwyse.livejournal.com]

Oh, my sympathies to you. Hope M is feeling better...

[iarraidh.livejournal.com]

I wasn't blessed with the ThrowUp spell when I had to do that test.

After the fact, I was moderately amused that I could set my watch by the time factor between "Drink 8 ounces of this" and "flush".

Punctual stuff, that.

[found-wilson.livejournal.com]

wow. You had a very strong reaction to the prep work. Mom has ulcerative colitis and has a colonoscopy about every 6 months. She's an old pro at it now. Drug her up, drive her in, sit and wait, sit while she wakes up, drive her home. She gets amused at the videos the Dr gives her as a "memento". :)

Glad everything is normal.