Glad that's over

I am really glad that I got all my cleaning done in the morning yesterday. By the afternoon I was feeling pretty nauseous and light headed. Of course, I have been known to dream "symptoms" up when my mind gets going. Some day I will tell you about my varicose vein story!

I am sort of thankful for the nausea because I certainly wasn't hungry.. which is mostly what I was worried about. I was shocked and dismayed at how fast the Pico-Salax worked and for how long. It certainly was gentle, as described by many, but man oh man... it lasted forever. My second dose was not really necessary but I had to take it... and it worked all night.. although it produced no extra product from my bowels... just the urge to try...... every half hour through the night.

5:30am came pretty early and we were at the hospital by 7 and I was comfortably settled into my Day Surgery Chair by 7:30... dressed in my cutsie paper slippers, my lovely nightgown and wedge wood blue hospital housecoat. One by one the other chairs filled up over the next half hour.. and by 8:00 all 6 chairs were filled with ladies, dressed the same, waiting for different procedures. As we all sat in silence, I expected to be called at any moment.. since I was first in line... but by 8:15 when nothing happened, I started to wonder if there was a problem. No, not really said our friendly nurse... "the Doctor doesn't start til 9:00am".

At this news we all sat in silence for a moment until she left... then I commented... Well if she doesn't start til 9:00, why did I have to be here at 7am. At this, we all chimed in, chatting about our lack of coffee, how cold it was in the hospital and hot outside... We laughed and giggled, sharing miseries and stories, and we became fast friends sharing in an unpleasant situation. I was first, and the only one to be getting a full colonoscopy... the others were all getting some other thing that only takes 10 minutes and no drugs... I was first and I had the longest procedure.. which I felt bad about since they would have to all wait for me to be done to get their 10 minutes of discomfort over. When the surgery nurse came to collect me.... I was sent off with well wishes and jokes!

11 years ago, when I had this procedure done, I was filled with fear of the unknown, not only of how this whole thing would go down (or up, for that matter) but also wondering if I had bowel cancer like my mom did... 11 years ago, the procedure was truly a piece of cake, not hard, only a little discomfort and with wonderful results ... perfectly healthy bowels. So, as I walked into the room today, I wasn't nervous one bit, and when I was explained to about the procedure, I could picture everything that was going to happen. The nurses were funny and helpful and after getting my Blood Pressure checked, my needle thing put in and a clippy thing attached to my finger, we waited for the Doctor. We laughed about my cupboard cleaning event yesterday, and they shared stories of 3 and 10 year old food items in their own cupboards.

I must say, once the doctor came it, things moved pretty quickly... happy drugs administered, moved into the proper position and then she began. Well, let me tell you... I have not experienced pain like that in a very long time.. if ever. I was shocked and scared. I did a lot of deep breathing, let me tell you.. and one of the nurses was right there at my head keeping me focused on my breathing. I really didn't think I was going to get through it. They even had to give me more happy juice... which I thanked God for... right there and then. Once she got to where she was going... all things were better, and smooth sailing after that... and as soon as she was done.. the pain was gone... sort of like childbirth. She pronounced that everything looked clean and healthy and it made it all worth it... I guess.

The best part of the day was after the 40 minute procedure, getting back to my room full of my ladies, to recover for an hour. The nurse brought me a carrot muffin, cheese and a coffee... and I was heckled and harassed by my cell mates and I noisily slurped my yummy coffee! Each one of these ladies went in and came out of their procedure.. got dressed and left... while I lay there "recovering". I was the first to arrive and the last to leave. Terry picked me up at a 11:00 and I was home and sleeping by 12 in my own bed. Lunch was a juicy tomato sandwich with ham... and cherries for dessert.. I actually nibbled all afternoon, making up for lost time.

The peace of my garden, was wonderful company for me this afternoon, while I read outside on the deck.