When you hit 50, you start getting nagged. “You know, now that you’re 50 you really should …”
Now normally I don’t do what I’m told. The second someone tells me I should do something, it makes me not want to do whatever it is. The thing is, as far as my health goes, I do like to make sure I keep on top of things. I figure right now I’m the healthiest one in the family & I need to keep things that way. I just don’t have time to be sick. Thus, I found myself a couple of weeks ago in the office of a GI doc arranging for a colonoscopy.
Don’t worry. I will not go into any of the gory details. I will tell ya, when they say the prep is worse than the test, they aren’t kidding. Also, although I sort of knew what to expect, I really had no idea. Luckily I knew enough to not make any plans for Sunday.
Also, here’s a tip for anyone who may one day need to have this done. The first tip is Butt Paste. Seriously. Granted some of the other ointments may also work but they smell. Second tip – some sort of nice, soft, gentle (flushable!) wipe. Seriously, you want these things.
Now on to my one complaint about the test (aside from the whole prep thing). If you were an anesthesiologist, wouldn’t you think that, considering what the person just went through the previous day, there is a damn good chance there will be some degree of dehydration?? And I do know my veins. If I’m telling ya the left side isn’t good, then, damn it, I mean it. But no. He had to try sticking something in my left arm first.
Gee, big surprise when that didn’t work out too well. He then went with my left hand. I sat with an ice pack on it for a couple of hours after I got home. Most of the back of that hand is nicely colored – if you like red & purple.
And so, they found absolutely nothing. I am fine. Which, in my opinion, means I don’t have to do this again until I’m 60. Maybe next time when I tell them my left veins aren’t good, they’ll listen to me.
Thanks for the tips, I’m about six years too late for my first one! I’ve also heard that if you are a-o.k. you don’t need another for 10years, that does give you time to break in a new anesthesiologist! Glad everything was fine…
I should be scheduling one of those in the next 5 years. My mom had her first one at 70 and decided she isn’t doing another one for a long time.
Glad everything is ok!
I could have written this whole post, with the exception of the anesthesiologist thing…thankfully. The flushable wet wipes ARE a must. And I am so incredibly glad it doesn’t have to be done for another 10 years!