22 February 2018

Three Days of Limited Fun

This past weekend was a holiday weekend in the U.S. - it was Presidents' Day.  We had a three-day weekend at work, which was great.  Usually I would have a bazillion plans in my head, and do maybe two of them, but this time around something specific was happening:  this past Tuesday, I was scheduled for a colonoscopy.  Ugh.

Over the years, I have learned that prepping for this procedure is a slog for me.  Most people fast for a day, use the solution prescribed by the dr, have the procedure, end of story.  That was what I tried to do about the first four or five times, without success.  Apparently I am one of the few people who have an extremely long colon.**  Mind you, I can't win the lottery, but I can be one of the fewer than 2% of the population with an extra long colon.  Sigh.

What does this mean?  It means I get to fast for three days - two of them strictly liquids, and the first day I can have some breakfast.  To say this is unpleasant is making it a family friendly statement.

So on the one hand, I was lucky enough not to have to use an extra day off from work on Monday, since we were already off.  But it meant that it was a long weekend in more ways than one.  So in honor of Three on Thursday, I am sharing Three Days of Limited Fun.


Day 1:  I am allowed to eat breakfast on this day.  Ever since reading on Ellen's blog about some biscuits she had made, I wanted to try the recipe.  So I gave it a try.  My results were good but mixed, since I am not good at determining the thickness of dough - so some were not as "biscuit-y" as they should have been.  But it was my first try, and I'm calling it a success.  If you like biscuits, try this recipe - these are really really yummy!


So my baking success made me very happy on that day.

The first day is never too awful, since I've at least had something for breakfast.  And though I would have liked to have some dinner, missing it on that day did not make me overly miserable.  I think having the Olympics to occupy my time definitely helped.

Day 2:  OK, I woke up hungry for breakfast.  Or anything really.  I had a cup of tea and some jello and decided that reviewing and organizing my stash was way overdue, and that it would be an excellent activity for that day.  I try on a regular basis to do this, because I accumulate yarn in various ways other than by purchasing it myself.  A lot of people give me yarn that someone has given them or that they received when grandma or Aunt Tilly died or downsized to a nursing home.  I'm not a yarn snob, but a lot of it is just not stuff I'm that fond of, or the colors are ones I don't like.  Also, there are bits of yarn left from projects where I know I will never ever want to use the yarn again!  

Whenever I do this activity, there are also yarns that I have that I really like, but realize I'm never likely to use.  Those yarns get a one-time reprieve, but at the next go-round, if I haven't been inspired to use them, they go to the donate/give away pile.  

This time, I had a lot of things that I was not keeping.  Most of it I put into a box to take to Interim House for their Knitting Club.  I've donated yarn, magazines, needles, etc. here for years, and it always makes me happy because they are so incredibly happy to receive it.  The coordinator told me that it NEVER goes unused!  Then there are a few skeins I put aside to give away to certain people.  (If you decide to donate to Interim House, please let me know and I'll forward you the info for the knitting group coordinator.)

In any case, this activity took the better part of the day.  After which I was tired and hungry, and had a headache from not eating.  Let's just say the furniture even started to look tasty.

Day 3:  This is always the worst day.  I always wake up with a KILLER headache, and of course cannot take anything for it.  I'm grumpy, and tired, and miserable even more than just any given day.  I start to think even more than usual that everyone in the world should just DIE.  I have hardly any energy.  

The plan was to spend the day knitting, reading, and watching the Olympics or anything else that appealed at all.  I didn't do quite as much knitting or reading as I had wanted to do, due to my headache and difficulty concentrating.   The Tim had the day off, so we watched the Olympics and some shows we'd recorded.  Then in the evening, I had to start the prep for the next day's procedure.  The less said about that, the better.

So, I obviously survived and lived to tell the tale.  The procedure was successful (thank you GOD), and I don't have to do it again for three years (last time I only got a 2 year reprieve, so that extra year pleases me), and though I don't feel really great, I can at least eat and drink what and when I want to.  Fortunately, I drink a lot of liquids anyway, so it's not hard for me to do the prep liquids-wise.  It's everything else that makes me miserable!

I think I did pretty well this time around keeping myself occupied while fasting.  Even if I'm feeling hungry, when I have something to keep me busy, the distraction keeps me from focusing on wanting to eat.  

But it's not pretty all the same.  

Here's hoping that all of you reading only ever have average-sized colons ... ;-)

**The Tim says this is medical proof that I'm full of s**t.  He's a laff riot.

16 comments:

Bonny said...

Holy crap! (Sorry; I couldn't resist.) The prep is unpleasant enough for those with normal colons, but yours sounds truly awful. I'm glad you managed the whole ordeal, and you have certainly earned that extra year.

Patty said...

Tim is funny. :-) From my average self I salute you...as that amount of fasting sounds just awful. Glad to hear all went well!

Anonymous said...

Well, glad THAT is over for another few years. It doesn't sound like a barrel of laughs.

Eat something REALLY good today!

Tired Teacher said...

Thrilled to hear you had good results from the procedure. I'm due for my five-year colonoscopy. I dread the prep more than anything, so I understand.

Vera said...

Love The Tim's comment - lol. I really do hate that procedure...well, not the procedure cuz, you know, I'm asleep, but the prep is awful. My problem is that I start to get sick and end up heaving in the toilet. Not pretty and not fun...and I always wonder if I've managed to ingest sufficient quantities of the "medicine" to "do the job." Enuf said!!! Glad your procedure is finis!!

Jeannie Gray Knits said...

Wow, congratulations for surviving the procedure. I think I would have skipped the whole thing. In the end, something's going to kill me and I don't plan for it to be starvation! :)

Kwizgiver said...

Congratulations on the results!

Kim in Oregon said...

Oof. I am sorry you have to do that. The one-day prep is bad enough!

Anxiety Remedies said...

Congrats on your results ! The pic of the biscuits you made... my mouth is watering !

Kym said...

Oh, UGH! I thought I would die of hunger with my ONE day of fasting . . . I cannot even imagine getting through three. In a row. I'm so glad you have a 3-year reprieve! XO

Araignee said...

Good gracious! That seems like torture to me. I could never survive it. You are made of some tough stuff lady!!!

Leslie said...

Here's a hug, no words just a hug.

Wanderingcatstudio said...

I hope you gorged on all your favourites afterwards!

PS - Tim's joke is the best!

AsKatKnits said...

Oy. Vey. I just have one thought... if a man had this extra long colon, there would be a better solution. Here is to them finding a new solution before your next one is due!

kathy b said...

I love BOnny's holy crap comment.
Im banking on the fact that they will improve the prep before I have to have another colonoscopy. Oh i dread that prep. All kinds of things went wrong last time I did it. My results were good though so I can be grateful. I feel your pain. And you are funny about the lottery! Enjoy the Olympics for a couple more days. They are certainly helping with the blahs here.

karen said...

I hate the prep the most! I get really nauseous (but am proud to say I kept it down....) ! I'm sorry you have a long colon....I hope next time it is FIVE years then TEN years :)