Roto Rooter for Colons

So, since I am over 50 I got to have the pleasure of going in for my first colonoscopy a week or so ago. My doctor had recommended one last year but I was given a reprieve since my insurance company denied it saying that it was not a medical necessity.
Now, I am fully aware of the reason for having a colonoscopy since my husband is a colon cancer survivor. I've watched him do the prep about 4 times now, for the initial colonoscopy, the surgery to remove about a foot of his colon, and the follow up colonoscopies. The first time he went I was allowed into the procedure room to watch it live on TV. There was a tall closet on one wall with these really long black what appeared to be garden hoses inside. Those are what goes up inside you. And they are really really long. How do they get this long hose inside you? You know those hose reels with a handle on them for rolling up your hose? The way they get that hose up inside is similar, they just kind of crank it up in there. There is a light and a tiny camera at the end of the hose so they can see the inside of your colon. If they need to snip a polyp off, they thread a snipper thing up in there through the hose.
So, anyway, I knew the prep to 'cleanse' your colon is not pleasant. First off, you can only have liquids and jello, and only certain liquids, no cream for your coffee or tea, and nothing with red dye in it. Jello has never been a favorite of mine ever since my kids were born and after a c-section all you get to eat for a few days is jello and broth. Yuck. You have to take these laxative pills and then mix this huge bottle of powdered laxative with 64 ounces of 'clear liquid'. We were wondering if vodka counted as a 'clear liquid'. Then you have to drink this 64 ounces of liquid laxative at the rate of about 8 ounces every 15 minutes. More yuck. Then, before bed, you take more laxative pills, and in the morning you get to have not one, but two enemas! Makes you really want to get out of bed in the morning, doesn't it?
And, since you don't get to eat any food all day and absolutely nothing, not even water, after midnight, you are pretty darn hungry and thirsty while doing your enemas in the morning.
Not to mention that your bottom is raw from all the pooping that you do after all the laxatives and enemas. We made sure that we had plenty of toilet paper before hand and I didn't get too far from the bathroom all day. Believe me, nature wasn't just calling, it was yelling. Loudly.
I did make it through the night and went to have my 'procedure' as they like to call it at 9:30 the next day at an outpatient surgery center. They bring you in and give you a gown, little paper booties for your feet, and a paper hat thing to wear. Then you go sit in what looks like a lazy boy recliner and get your IV put in and answer a few questions. They give you a nice warm blanket and let your spouse or other come in and sit with you until time to go in for your 'prodedure'. The benadryl that is put into your IV starts to make you a little drowsy. This surgery center doesn't allow spectators unlike the doctor that did my husband's 'procedures' so they shoo away your other and then take you into the 'procedure' room and have you lie down on your side. The nurse said that they were going to give me whatever it is that puts you out during the 'procedure' and I asked her 'Now you wait until I'm out before you start, right?'. The doctor seemed a little overeager with that hose and I was getting a little nervous because I sure didn't want to feel a garden hose going up my insides.
Next thing I knew a nurse was telling me 'You're all done, want some water?' and the 'procedure' was over with. I kind of floated in and out while they brought my husband in to give him post 'procedure' instructions and show us a picture of the insides of my colon. We were thinking maybe we could use the picture for our holiday cards this year.
The nurse helped me get dressed, got me in a wheelchair, and shoved me out the back door and into the car. I felt kind of woozy but wanted a milkshake or something so we stopped at a sandwich shop and got a fruit smoothie, which wasn't really what I wanted, I wanted a chocolate milk shake. We got almost home and then I had to throw up out the car door as we were turning into our neighborhood. I was thinking the neighbors probably were wondering what a middle aged woman was doing puking out the car door like some drunk teenager.
I slept for a few hours after we got home, then just felt kind of blah the rest of the day.
The next day I felt just fine and actually had quite a bit of energy. Maybe cleaning your colon out once in a while lightens the load or something.

A Good Resting Place

Lucy was investigating the cupboard that I had left open so of course Mr. Buddy had to come see what Lucy was up to.
Buddy and the girls are about 6 months old now and are somewhat like having The Flying Wallendas living in our home. Three little bundles of kitten energy flying, jumping, and rolling around the house. If he were a child, Buddy would be the red haired freckle faced kindergarten bully, wanting to be the center of attention and butting his little nose into everyone's business. At the same time he is the most loving purringest kitty we've ever had. He just loves Keith and the best time of the day is first thing in the morning when we open the bedroom door and three kittens barge their way into the bedroom, jump up on the bed and nuzzle and purr, nuzzle and purr. I guess each night when we shut the bedroom door they think we are gone forever and are just so happy to see that we are still here in the morning.

So Sad and Be Sure To Floss!

It was so sad yesterday. I went outside in the early afternoon and noticed a big grey tabby cat doing what I thought was sunning in my neighbor's front yard. I said 'hi, kitty' and went on about my business. A few hours later Keith and I were getting ready to go out to eat, it being payday and me being chronically too lazy to cook. The little girl next door was out front with her friend getting real close to this cat. She was saying that there was something wrong with his paw, and sure enough as we got close to the cat he was kind of limping and crawling along. He looked up at our fence like he was going to jump up and make a run for it and then laid back down. We told the girls that there was something wrong with the cat and not to touch it. Keith called animal control and after a lengthy conversation with having to give them the neighbor's name and phone number since we weren't going to be home, they said they would come out as soon as possible. We went to dinner and got back home and checked with the neighbor, and animal control had come and taken the cat away. We think it may have been hit by a car or something and just crawled up onto the lawn. I was glad we weren't home to see the cat being taken away to be put down since we both have such big soft spots for kitties.

Now, on a different note, everyone, be sure to floss your teeth! I am a very lazy flosser but I do brush after every meal. At my last dental visit, no cavities, but 'deep pockets' in my gums, so was advised to see a periodontist. Well, I had my appointment yesterday and now will be having gum surgery to clean out those deep pockets in my gums and also have synthetic bone replacement inserted to replace lost bone. The periodontist explained it really well what happens and why the surgery is necessary, so I'm okay with that. What I'm not so okay with is that even with dental insurance it will cost over $3000.00. Eeeek!

So, this holiday season will be a very lean one, we are going to limit gifts to 25.00 each and that's it. Like my husband says, my gift will be my dental bill getting paid.

What Am I Working On and Favorite Cat Toys

Last year I bought a box of vintage Christmas cards at a local antique store intending to make some wreaths or shadowboxes for the holidays, which I never did. Since so much of what I do involves glass and solder, I decided to use these cards for one of a kind pendants. I love the way these came out with the vintagey 50's feel to them. I used part of the text from inside the cards on the backs of these pendants.



And, cat toys.
Like many cat parents, we overindulge our kitties with new toys every time we go shopping. The kittens are just like little kids, peeking into the bags saying 'What did you bring me?'
They love the little fuzzy mice and will toss them around long enough for them to get stuck under the refrigerator or stove. I'm dreading what we will find when we move the appliances to paint and put in our new floor.
Next time I buy cat toys I'm getting a package of the coated rubber bands that I use for my hair. Mimi seeks these out and carries them around the house, batting at them and chasing them. They are not as painful when you step on them in the middle of the night.
Mimi's other recent favorite is a postcard type piece of junk mail that was folded up and ready for the trash can. She found this card and chased it and carried it from room to room.
They also like boxes, kind of like when you buy the kids expensive Christmas toys and they have more fun playing with the box that they come in.