Gastro-Intestinal Fun Part 10

The party’s over and the anticipation proved to be much worse than the actual event. I got to the hospital at noon, not wanting to proceed with the blessed event but I did. After waiting for 30 minutes and listening to Red Green talk about GPS (“It’s a $500 excuse for men to not ask for directions.”) on TV and I was led into another room, asked a few questions and give a couple of gowns to put on (“The first one opens at the back, the second one opens at the front.”). I was led to a bed and hooked up to an IV. The nurses said the doctor I had was the best and that the preparation for the procedure was the worst - meaning, the oral purgative I had taken last night and this morning. “That wasn’t so bad" I thought but still refused to believe them that was the worst part of it all.

I was wheeled into the hallway and waited for 10 minutes before being wheeled into “Endo 1.” The doctor was there as well as a nurse and a pre-med student, looking very young and reminding me of someone I used to work with. “You should try this,” I thought to myself, “in order to get the full experience.”

I was still nervous. I was rolled on to my side, given a light sedative - enough to relax me but not enough to put me to sleep, and watched the TV monitor as the little camera began it’s journey to the centre of my body. It wasn’t distasteful or offputting - more like something that would show up on Discovery Channel. Lots of wet, brownish coloured tunnels. Nothing unusual. A little uncomfortable but certainly not painful.

Fifteen minutes later it was all finished and I was wheeled back in to the first room to recover.

The results indicated no polyps or anything else unusual but recommended returning when I’m 50 (I’ll be 50 someday?). I’m glad it’s all over.