Today's adventure is tomorrows assurance

So I have officially bridge the gap from being an adult to being an old adult. Ha I know people are saying you bridge that long ago. But today I experienced something that pretty much only 50+ year old experience. I had a colonoscopy and a endoscopy. I have only heard it was horrible. Then I hear that the cleaning day is the worst part.

Yesterday was my cleanings day. It was okay, I did have to make a mental note to not eat anything and by the evening I was done with citrus type of flavors. It was better then when I had giardia in Jan. I had these same symptoms but they lasted for 5 days instead of 1. My biggest problem, my legs falling asleep while sitting. I told Mike that on our way home he should plan on stopping so I could get something to eat. He said he would. I went to bed and woke up at 2:30 and was wake off and on until 3:30 and before I knew it... Mike was getting up at 5:30. I wasn't getting up before I had to. I just needed to get dressed and brush my teeth.

I wasn't so concerned with the colonoscopy but more so the endoscopy. My gag reflex is horrible. When I go the dentist it has taken them an hour to do the x-rays. They spray my mouth and it does help a small amount. But not enough in my opinion. I have been gagging since Monday when I realized this was the week my appointment would happen. I was a bit stressed about this fact. But trying to not focus on it. But it just seemed like the big elephant in the room and I was trying to avoid it.

I received a call yesterday asking if we could come in an hour earlier 7:00 to have the procedure at 8:00. I said of course. Lets get this over with. We arrived at 6:50 and went in. The woman at the desk was so nice and very happy. I was the first patient for my Dr. They called my name and I walked to the back I let everyone know about my gag reflex who asked me any question. They were all very nice and reassured me that everything would be fine. I kept thinking- "Right I will be fine! Fat chance of that happening."

So I find myself in the procedure room with my nurse Cassandra and I keep bringing up my gagging problem. She goes over it all again. "The tech will come in and spray your throat and you wont feel anything." Then she says to me a key phrase "Dr. Somerset does the colonoscopy first then the endoscopy." YES YES YES! I knew I would be out of it and it really would be fine. I then was able to relax.

She has me turn on my side pull my legs up and I don't remember anything after that. I had signed a waver that allowed a med student to observe. I did ask earlier that if he was going to be in there he couldn't say anything about my big fat white butt. The Dr. just laughed. But I never did see the med student.

The next thing I knew Mike was standing next to me. I don't remember much the Dr. said with his findings. Everything looked good is what I was told. A little bit later I was allowed to get up and start to get dressed. I don't really remember doing that. Mike said he helped me although I felt pretty alert and active. I was coherent and ready to walk out on my own. I now know why they tell you that you must have someone take you home. And if you tell them you are going to drive they will call the police on you. When Mike had his endoscopy he was pretty loopy and funny. I could see I wasn't like that. I was normal again. I got into a wheelchair and off we went. I was asked if I wanted something to drink and opted for a diet coke. I discovered on the way home my body wasn't ready for anything. That was not a pretty sight or feeling. Mike quickly pulled back out of McDonald's and took me right home. I slept for hours. Mike made me toast and I ate that off and on. I woke up about 1:30ish and Mike ran to get me a burger. It tasted great. I felt great. But I was still a little dazed. I realized then I had little or no memory of this experience.

So for all of you who have these procedures to look forward to don't fear... they aren't as bad as they sound or people make them out to be. Take heart and know, they put you out and you really don't care about anything.