No.43: Get that Colonoscopy

No. 43: Done!

Today's post is your PSA for the day.

No. 43:Get that Colonoscopy is done!

For obvious reasons (no one says this is lots of fun) I have been putting this off. For years. 

The CDC and the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommend colorectal cancer screening starting at age 50. My doctor started recommending a colonoscopy to be done by age 55. From 55 on, he hounded me. "Had that colonoscopy yet? Here's a recommendation." And every year I didn't do it. Age 60 is the "You better do this or you will die a gruesome death" deadline.
Anyway, I put it on my list. So I had to. 

 While I was in Texas I scheduled my appointment.

The night before is the not so fun stuff. Prep. Horrid horrid liquid gagged down in big gulps followed by lots and lots  of water. And then..... Whatever. You all know. 

The morning of Bunny was my designated driver. A last minute review of the instructions stated clearly "You must have someone drive you and stay in the office. Drivers must be age 18 or older." Oops. I yelled at Bunny to put some make up on and act older. Chronologically she's only 17 but she acts older than most 20 year olds. The hubs was put on notice in case there was an emergency and/or Bunny got carded. 

Feeling ten pounds lighter, we arrived at the doctor's office and passed check in. While waiting in pre-op I got to eavesdrop on all the other patients. The doctor is a Latino and so were most of his patients. Spanish was flying all around me. Love love love that I can speak and understand another language. I'm a little rusty but that morning it was fun trying to see how much I could comprehend. Lots apparently. I'm sure the women in the cubicle next to me would be horrified that I now know so much about her intestines. 

Then it was my turn. Count down from 30 and ....

This is what I remember:

Until...

Voices floated into my consciousness and for some reason I tried to whistle. I don't know how to whistle. Eventually I managed a sound and the nice nurse came over. "I hear voices. Am I supposed o be awake?"   Why yes, I was. All done. Feeling wonderfully rested, I waited for the doc to come over. That Propofol is a wonderful drug. I see why Michael Jackson loved it. 

Dr. Trabanino appeared, declared that I had the colon of a 30 year old and released me. 

The best part?  I'm good to go for another ten years. 

I'm counting on the pharmaceutical companies to come up with an improved prep by then.
Please. 

Back again

Back..again!

Back from two weeks in Texas.

It was a whirlwind trip. I managed to complete two challenges on my list which was a huge plus. Nice to get moving on that again. 

Let's break the stay down by numbers. 

ONE Main sewer line back up, inconveniently the night before we drove back. (Although, when is a sewer line backing up into the house EVER convenient?). Our departure was delayed a few hours while I hunted down the  city contractors who had been cleaning sewer lines on our street the day before. Somehow I figured the two things were related and fortunately, they agreed. Line was cleared at no cost to us and we were on the road by 9am.

The shower drain- happy again.

Never think about those babies until they back up.

TWO Emergency room visits with my dad. Unfortunately being 92 and in pain is not considered an emergency. I promise, this getting older is not for sissies. 

THREE scheduled meals with good friends. I miss so many of my Texas friends and any time I get to see one, that's a good day. Thanks Martha, Libby, Dee, Diane and Lucy for making/taking time to meet me. I also managed to run into a few people randomly which is always fun.

And no, I did not get any pics. 

Boo hoo.

FOUR vet visits for the assorted animals. One of the cats bit Bunny while aiming for the vet. Carlos had to be drugged and muzzled just to get shots. And the poor horse, well. That's another post. A very sad post.

 Me and Carlos headed to the vet.

One of us is heavily sedated.

This is the nice cat, Minah. 

She did not bite anyone. 

The bad cat doesn't get his picture on the internet. 

FIVE medical tests including Yay! No.43: Get that Colonoscopy. I am happy to report that my bones are strong, I am basically healthy and I have the colon of a 30 year old. 

The nice doctor gave me pictures of my insides. 

I won't share them with you.

SIX bags off to Goodwill. My side of the closet is pretty much empty. All those "maybe" clothes are gone. If I don't wear it now, then I probably won't next year. The exceptions are denim. Old worn out jeans go but the vests and denim jackets and shirts stay. The hubs did come in and say "Are you moving out?" Um, hon, don't know if you noticed but I did that 2 years ago. Gone also are kids clothes, some books, stuff, stuff and more stuff. The old towels went to the vets office. The overflow of pet bowls and dog Elizabethan collars went to the Humane Society.  I feel 100 pounds lighter.

A car load of stuff we no longer need. 

I love cleaning out closets.

There was a lot more packed into that two weeks. Bunny and her friend boy found him an apartment for his year long stay/school in Texas. His mama  bravely stayed at our house those first few nights even though I could not vouch for the condition of the room she was to stay in or the condition of the house in general. Kudos to the hubs for pulling things together and getting the place presentable. 

There were lots of visits with the parents and a brief chat with my brother out in the front yard one morning. He was in town for 24 hours and staying at the peep's house so I got to see him before work. 

Also there was heat. And humidity. And snakes. Texas did not necessarily put her best foot forward for me this trip. Lots of highs and lows. Not much sleep.

One of the three snakes I pulled out of the pool one morning 

before I gave up and decided to not swim.

They were all small, but still. 

It's a pool. Not a pond. I don't swim in their creek. 

They shouldn't swim in my pool.

Happy to be back in the cool. Happy to be back at work with my crazies. Happy to be back. 

Yep. 101º

So much fun.

And...

And....

You know how last week I mentioned "I've hated to say it before now, but I think Spring is really here."

I should have known better..

Here is our week's forecast:

Yep. That would be snow forecast for Friday morning.  Saturday night is prom for Bunny. That beautiful gown will be a little bare for 34º temps.  Not that the temperature will stop her from wearing it. Anyway, Friday is a long ways away and forecasts are frequently wrong.


Today I panicked a bit about the rest of my list.  Because, as I have mentioned, I'm at a standstill. 
So I scrolled through and found the time specific ones and put those dates on my calendar. 

I've missed polo season (#55) but it starts again mid-September. There are polo clubs in Houston and also near Belle in Florida. I should be able to fit that in somehow. 

Thanksgiving at the beach. (#13)  Belle has informed me that she loves Florida and is planning on staying there even though she does not love school so much. I am thinking we will just go see Belle for Thanksgiving next year: turkey at the beach.  (And nope, I haven't broken this news to her or anyone else in the family yet, so "shhhhhhh". )

Ice hockey season is also over but I will have a chance next fall. Looks like games start in October.  (#57)

That colonoscopy. (#43) I am so overdue for that. This summer. Waiting until I am in Texas because that is not something I want to do in my little town...and I sure don't want to have to drive two or three hours away for it, either.  

In June I'm meeting up with my friends to plan our 60th trip. (#1) Two of us turn 60 this year, the rest do it in 2016.  The trip most likely will not happen before I turn 60 but if we have it planned, I'm counting it!

Bunny's friend took her out and taught her how to shoot a pistol. I thought she was pretty good until she told me she was only about 20 feet away from the target. 

Anyway, I discussed with her that possibly he could also teach me. (#28) This kid is methodical and safety conscious and has been around guns his whole life. We can go to the shooting range on the other side of town.

Red Rocks Amphitheatre has their summer schedule out. (#4)   Just need to schedule a trip to Denver and con someone into going with me.  Easy.  

And as soon as the vegetable starts come out, I'm grabbing a few. (#39) Last year I was not successful because it is so dry here. Miss one day of watering and Poof! those plants are dead.   
So I'm thinking a potted veggie garden on the patio will work best. Close by, I can see them and, more importantly, water them every morning easily. No shoes required to walk out into the big gardens. (This ground is pretty rocky. Even though I am a total barefoot kid, I need shoes to walk in the yard.) Crossing my fingers for success this year. 

Cozumel, well, that may not happen. (#15) Not many people want to go to Mexico with me. I think I would be totally safe but.....   I can come up with something else.  I've been a million times and it is just one of my favorite places. Not saying it won't happen eventually, just maybe not in the next year.  But maybe I can go to Cuba instead. That has been a lifelong dream and it looks closer and closer to becoming a reality. Cross your fingers. 

Soooo...... there's hope.  And putting things on the calendar makes them more likely to happen.

I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.