Thursday, July 2, 2015

Ya Didn't Need to Know

     I've been cleansed! That's right, I've been cleansed. You may ask,"How have you been cleansed or why have you been cleansed?" I'm glad you asked so that I have a reason to tell you.

    A few weeks ago a doctor  decided that I should have a colonoscopy. Those who've had a colonoscopy will say, "I know it all." Those who haven't had a colonoscopy will cringe with dread.

    The colonoscopy is done when it is decided that a look has to be taken inside the colon.  The scope is a four foot flexible tool about the thickness of a finger. It is inserted through the anus and is slowly moved along while the specialist looks at every nook and cranny. The apparatus can show the condition of the inside of the colon and also take biopsies. The procedure takes about 30 minutes. You are given a sedative which knocks you out and you are not aware of what's going on. This is the easy part.

     The cleansing is the nasty part.

      In order to see anything with the scope the whole system has to be empty. And I mean empty! The term they use is "cleansed". So this afternoon I've been cleansed. Well, what in the world is cleansing? Ya don't wanna know but I'll tell ya. You are given 8 liters of a vile mixture. You drink 250 ml every ten minutes until you've consumed two liters. Shortly after consuming this mixture, you find yourself emptying out violently and quickly! You feel pretty icky drinking this concoction. You drink the other 2 liters the next morning to make sure that you are really cleansed. 

     Now I have to wait 26 hours before I can eat again. I can have clear liquids until midnight. The next day, nothing until the procedure is over. I have to get somebody to drive me home and stay with me for at least 24 hours.
   
    Why go through this procedure? I'd rather know sooner than later if there is a problem. They are usually looking for cancer and colon cancer is quite curable if discovered soon enough.  It's recommended that people over a certain age have a colonoscopy every five years.

   So I hope that after all the cleansing, I'm a much cleaner person!

37 comments:

  1. I'm glad you had it done, Red. My cousin had colon cancer and so did my grandfather. It's definitely to be avoided at all cost. I see the Canadians do that cleansing the same way we do. No fun, no matter which way you look at it.

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    1. Apparently there is some factor of heredity to colon cancer.

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  2. Good for you for getting this procedure done. It is always good to be proactive. Best of luck too with the results.

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    1. Results were fine. I'm glad I had the procedure.

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  3. You are correct, I rather wouldn't know.

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  4. I have had a few of these...yuck. It has been ten years, but perhaps I should ask my doctor....

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    1. I would think that another "little look " would be in order. My guy always says , "a little look." I don't know if it makes him feel better or me.

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  5. While the specialists were looking in all the nooks and crannies, they were also taking photos and MY DEAR BROTHER, after surviving his colonoscopy, sent us all a photo of his innards. ha,ha......also stating how PINK everything was and he had been "cleansed" also. Yep, that icky part will always be icky, whether man or woman. And last, however, not least You are a cleaner person......at least for a week. ha,ha

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    1. Well, I for one will not be sending photos. I not only look old on the outside but on the inside as well. \Many of the parts are well worn. I'm not sure about this cell replacement thing!

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  6. Not every doc makes you drink the vile mix. I got to eat a lot of Jello for my prep and took a while to eat it again. Good luck wit your tests.

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    1. I had jello but only to keep up my fluids.

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  7. That is an interesting story Red, hope the results are good.

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    1. The results, although not perfect were fine. A 75 year old body has some parts that are well worn and aged.

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  8. Thing is, is the cleansing going to kill you or colon cancer?! My ex-husband had colon cancer, surgery, it got infected (2 weeks in hospital), his wife, with dementia couldn't cope, and the chemo caused him to have a heart attack. He died. It was awful. We've had long conversations about quality of life when hubby's prostate cancer progresses.

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    1. Things can go wrong and do go wrong with a colonoscopy but the good far outweighs the bad. Planning for care is difficult and all must be brave and face reality. I'm not sure how good much of planning will do when care gets in the way and wants to keep us alive no matter what.

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  9. I am due this year for another one. It has been ten years since I was cleansed. And yeah, it's that preparation that's so awful. I did feel sort of skinny for awhile, too. Glad you've got the worst part behind you, Red. :-)

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    1. Results were not disastrous but not perfect either. I will learn the details next week.

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  10. i have to have my first soon. trying to fit it into a schedule with a 'driver' available is tough.

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    1. The available driver is a pain. The Micro manager doesn't drive.

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  11. It is great that you are doing this. Early detection is always in our favour!

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    1. As uncomfortable as it is, I wouldn't skip it.

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  12. Interesting! I hope the procedure goes well and the surgeon is having a good day! Here you get a recipe...Mineral oil and Laxatives and so may bottles of special water...you start one day then do the rest the next day and day three you have the procedure. My husband had it about three years ago. They found something in my Moms colon and resectioned her and she was in the hospital two weeks. My husband had one polop which the cut off:)

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    1. The procedure went well. the specialist had to go home at noon and let the dog out so my 12:30 procedure happened at 1:00 I guess it was better a little late than having a guy worry about the dog.

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  13. After a certain age, it needs to be done. Better that than cancers sneaking up on you.

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    1. Yes, there's a high success rate for treating colon cancer.

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  14. I'm on a ten year cycle and have a few years yet to go util my next one. I have done it twice and I HATE the cleansing process. I don't do well without food.

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    1. The no food doesn't bother me but the prep drives me crazy.

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  15. I've done this twice and the prep is terrible. But it's worth it to know you don't have a problem.

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    1. You're a bear for punishment but it's the wise thing to do.

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  16. Oh ya - been there, done that. The prep was far worse than the actual procedure! I'm home from Alaska, I think I have my photo program fixed, up and running!!

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  17. Hi Red, Wow, I'm thinking you should have gone into medicine : - ) Well, I've never seen a better explantion of a colonoscopy or what to expect! Thanks! A very good weekend to you and yours.

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  18. Oh my gosh! I could write a book on this. Colon cancer runs in my family. My youngest brother died at age 49 with colon cancer. Every family member has polyps, some pre-cancerous. I have a colonoscopy every three years and for a while, every year. The doctor always finds at least three polyps and calls me the polyp queen! What a name to be given! For the prep the doctor gives me the pills to swallow...big pills, lots of pills...with lots of liquids, but that is better than that horrible gallon of liquid stuff...I had the liquid last time. Sorry, didn't mean to get carried away. :)

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  19. I feel for you- been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. Four times so far, but I have crohns- which I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy.
    Hope you had a wonderful 4th

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  20. Ugh. I hope the results are nothing but good and you don't have to repeat for a looooong while!

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  21. That is when I was found out after having a colonoscopy. I have disease called Microscopic Celia. Mine is controlled by food only.
    The disease itself is not curable. So I have to accept that.

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