My Colonoscopy Adventure

Hi there all you brave ones who want to read this blog,
I want to take you on an adventure into the medical world of Endoscopy.
I had a colonoscopy! I won't go into details about bowel movements so don't freak out, I just want to write down what happened to me.

purple geranium

So before I start I'll just say I went for a wizz around the garden (not what you think!) and took a whole lot of photos of what is flowering, so I can pop them in between the text as a breathing space for you.

Here goes.
The 2 day adventure starts with a good breakfast and eating as much as possible including lunch until 12 noon. Well I ate as much as possible because I was to 'fast' for over 24 hours and I thought I might get hungry.
After 12noon its only drinks, without milk. At 5pm I started drinking the 3 litres of bowel cleansing solution. This liquid actually gathers all thge liquid in my body into my bowel to wash it clean. amazing!
I was told it was really bad and makes you gag! But that didn't happen to me. I had a new one out with lemon flavour. I drank it with a straw so it didn't contact too many taste buds. But really it was just like gatorade and the like.

I like this one even the dandelion yellow looks nice with the others.

I had to drink 1 litre in the first hour and then the other 2 litres before 9pm. Well this was probably the hardest part for me. I felt so full of drink I thought I would burst. Had to keep sipping all night, it felt like. At onwe point my swallowing reflex was refusing to work as I was so full I had to force it down.

Globe artichoke getting ready to open.

After the first hour things started to move, if you know what I mean. I won't go into details here except to say it was most strange to be drinking so much liquid and not peeing at all. No bladder action!

Our first Dahlia.

Well the evening went by and I was tired so went to bed. My bowel was empty and all the liquid gone. The notes I was given said I must drink other drinks too or I could become dehydrated. I couldn't fit any other drinks in!

blue lobelia

My appointment at the Endoscopy was for 11am. The notes said I was not to drink anything for 4 hours leading up to the procedure. So I asked M to wake me at 6.30am.

red geraniums, they make a great weed barrier from next doors.

So I woke up and drank 2 glasses of water and went back to sleep.
Felt strange all morning, not hungry at all but starting to feel a bit woozy in the head through lack of food.
Off the the clinic we went.
Before I move on with the story I have to say the nurse that interviewed me beforehands name was Ayla! You know from 'clan of the cave bear'!
This is why I call myself Dayla!
Anyway she was very nice, everyone there was very nice and gentle and caring. I must send them a card of thanks.

I love Aquilegias. Did you know they grow wild in Yellowstone National Park. Whole fields of them, amazing!

So I'm waiting in my paper gown and plastic slippers for them to call me, feeling very apprehensive but a bit dopey in the head due to lack of food. This helped me get through the nerves I think. In I go and onto the bed/table. I look away whilst they put the needle into my elbow pit. Can't bear needles, never been able to. A childhood fear from immunisations!
Doctor comes in and introduces himself. He is very nice too, well I hope so, when he is going to be sticking a long tube up my bum, you do hope so don't you!

Lace cap Hydrangea.

The anaesthetist then puts 2 tubes of stuff into my elbow and I am gone. It was beautiful really to go off like that. Like that moment of going to sleep but you are fully conscious and can really feel yourself going off. I dreamt too, nice dreams, can't remember them now but I was amazed I dreamed. Didn't think you did under anaesthetic.

campanula and man

So then I am being urged to wake up, takes them 2 goes before I put in the effort of waking up. Lying there coming to I realize I am full of gas, oh so full! I roll a bit to my side and let rip! A great long line of pops, ah that feels better. Moments later I have to do it again. Ah bliss!
Shortly after a nurse comes and helps me up then pulls away the curtain round the bed and guess what?
The room is full of people and I have been having a farting festival in my little curtain cubicle.

Calla lilies

Well actually I didn't realise this at the time. All those in the room were at different stages of recovery from their own procedures and sitting on recliner rocking chairs with a cup of tea and a biscuit.
I was placed in one of these and had an apple juice to start off. Lots more gas made itself known but I couldn't let rip in public. Anyway nurse to the rescue and I was taken to a loo.

Chamomile growing in a crack in the path.

So that's about it. Only afterwards did I realise my fopar, but everyone else must have been doing it too.
It had continued into the next day right up until normal movements were resumed, if you get my drift.
I don't feel much different, which is good, means the old bod was working ok before hand.
Results are good, so a happy ending for the end!
One more:

Elephant garlic flower.

Happy days.
Dayla