So many people dread the idea – because it’s my generations time, I hear it so often. –OMG- I’m going to be 50. Holy crow, we’re FIFTY! HOW DID WE GET THIS OLD??…
I really and truly look at it as a blessing. So many people don’t get the opportunity. I can honestly tell you the only thing I have dreaded about becoming fifty years old was those heinous words I knew I would hear my GP utter as we wrapped up the 50 year physical…. “So the only other thing we should do is schedule a colonoscopy, a screening recommended to everyone 50 and older”. (gulp). And there it was.
Yes, I’ve been dreading the “C” word for many years… at least 20. I’m not exaggerating one little bit, either. I never thought… OMG, someday I’m gonna be 50!… no, I only thought… OMG someday I’m gonna be 50 and be told a colonoscopy is recommended because I’m 50! Now keep in mind, lest you think I’m nutz – As someone who has been a chronic worrier since the dawn of the ages, stress induced IBS has been a sometime companion throughout my adult life. Nothing drastic, just mild annoyances when major stresses… stressed. So the thought of someone looking up in there with a camera was terrifying… OMG, what would they see? It must be a mess in there!
And there’s all that embarrassment, or the idea of it, anyway.
If you’ve not gone through the ordeal already, I’m here to tell you… all those years of ridiculous worrying and the anxiety over the IDEA of a colonoscopy… were just a waste of precious time. Believe me when I tell you, it’s no big deal at all. NO BIG DEAL!!!!!!
The prep is better than it used to be, so I’m told. I had no problem drinking down the two 8 ounce glasses of salty lemony stuff. Holding your nose helps and drinking cold water immediately after too. The aftermath of drinking that stuff wasn’t horrible either. You just need to stay sorta near a bathroom for 24 hours. The hardest part for me was drinking only clear liquids or sucking on hard candies for that period of time, because this girl loves to eat.
The procedure itself – I have no knowledge of other than I changed into a gown, an IV was inserted, some pleasantries ensued… I was wheeled into a room with bright lights and friendly people who were joking about this and that and who’s going where on vacation and was a certain star related to me because we share the same name……………………………………….
And that was it.
I woke up and it was all over. The Dr. came in shortly thereafter and told me all was well. Yep… all those 20 or more years of anxiety over… nothing. The relief that comes with KNOWING there’s nothing is tremendous.
SO.. if you’re about that age and you’ve been putting it off, don’t. It’s nothing. And if they find something, those kinds of cancer are slow growing and the odds are you’ll be healed because you caught it early. It’s that simple.
Worry… it’s like a rocking chair. It will give you something to do, but it won’t get you anywhere.
