What I Learned From My Colonoscopy

I asked myself if I really should post about this because it's so personal.  Then I thought it was something I would like to share with other people.  No, this is not an ad; I just wanted to let people know about it.

When someone is talking about a colonoscopy, they always say the preparation is the worst part.  Five years ago, when I had my first one that was true.  I had to drink about a gallon of awful tasting stuff.  However, this time it was "a breeze" to quote another woman who wrote about it on Yahoo News.  The difference was a new prep solution that was just approved by the FDA in July, 2012.  Thank goodness my doctor was up to date on such things!

The new prep is called "Prepopik" in the United States.  In Canada it's called "Pico Salax" (sounds more like Spanish to me) and in the UK it's called "Picolax" (sounds like a musical instrument).  

In the package you receive a plastic cup and two packets of powder, as well as an instruction sheet.  See the two lines on the plastic cup?  For your first dose you put water up to the bottom line (5 ounces)  then stir in one packet of powder.  You drink that, then fill the cup with plain water up to the second line (8 ounces) and drink that.  So, for each dose you drink 5 ounces of solution, then 8 ounces of water.  You have to drink a total of five glasses of water, at  your own pace, over the next five hours.  For the second dose, you do the same thing (I did the first one the night before and the second one the morning of my procedure; but I only had to drink three glasses of water the second time).  

It's not bad at all.  The solution doesn't taste bad (slightly citrusy) and the texture is just slightly thicker than water.  It's very easy.  It didn't give me any bad side effects, other than a little nausea during the night, that went away quickly.  

Apparently, this prep is not very well known yet.  When I did a general online search for prep solutions I found no mention of it.  When I looked up the specific name, there it was.  I'm glad my doctor knew about it.  This is just one example of how up to date I have found things here in Kentucky.  Since moving here, I have found health care to be very user friendly and efficient.  (As expressed by our Governor recently on the news.)  

Scenes

Every time I drive away from my house, making a left turn to go to the main road, I pass this farm.  There is an unpaved road that appears to go nowhere.  I looked it up on Google Earth and found out it goes in a big circle.  I have been fascinated by this "road to nowhere" since I first noticed it.  The other day, I finally decided to drive up there and have a look.  (Very Nancy Drew of me, I like to think.)  These are some of the photos I took:

We live near an international airport.  On this morning, I noticed a network of contrails in the sky.  I thought of people flying in all different directions, while I stand here in this quiet, isolated spot.

It was a cool, frosty morning and the sun was bright.  I love this kind of autumn morning.

When we first moved here, I was missing the hustle and bustle of the big city.  Now I have come to love the countryside around me.

The Little Red Car

This car has made the rounds in my family.  We bought it in 1997 in Philadelphia.  We brought it with us when we moved to Kentucky in 2006.  My husband loved his little red, two door sporty car.  I drove the more practical Blazer.

After we moved we lived close to my sister and her family.  My brother-in-law had a sporty white convertible of his own, but he had to sell it to get a more practical car for three little kids and their car seats.  We decided to buy his convertible, and we sold the little red car to my mom who needed a "new" car.  My mom said she has always wanted a little red sporty car so she loved it.  She even got a vanity plate with her initials on it.

My mom drove the little red car for a few years until she needed a walker.  The walker wouldn't fit in the trunk so she began driving David's station wagon.  (She married David after my dad died.)  So the little red car just sat in her garage for a couple of years.

In the meantime, my niece Sarah was turning 16 and wanted a car.  So my mom gave my sister and brother-in-law the little red car for her.  They had to have some work done on it, both to dents and bruises, new battery, etc.  It looks like new again, and Sarah is driving it with an adult until December when she can drive on her own.

Now Sarah loves the little red car.  It has been in our family for sixteen years now.  First with Mike, then with Mom, and now with Sarah.  Sarah has added her own touch to it:

These photos were taken as the little red car sits in my sister's driveway.  Every time we pull in to visit we see "our" little red car there in it's new home.

Gifts From the Sea

I have always lived in landlocked places, but I love the sea.  I have reminders of the sea all over my house.  I always have shells and stones in my pocket when I come home from a beach vacation.

The photo above shows a collection of sea glass mixed in with shells.  I have collected the shells myself.  I have a friend in Hawaii who sends me sea glass.

I always take a million pictures at the beach, too.  I like to remember EXACTLY how it looked.  Then I combine them with shells or stones I found at that place.  Here are a couple I put together in frames:

I have these reminders all around the house.  I wonder if I will ever have the chance to live by the sea.  If I do, I wonder if I will ever come to take it for granted.  I can't imagine that.  I would be happy to be able to walk on the beach every day.  I don't have to have entertainment at the beach.  I can just sit and watch the ocean for hours at a time.  The sights, the sounds, the smells, the feel of the sea breeze all soothe me and make me happy.

At Crossroads

My husband and I are both retired now.  It's a bit of a shock to the system to see yourself entering a new phase of life.  It makes me feel a little like a creature that sheds its skin or a caterpillar that turns into a butterfly.  You become a different "you".  It's a metamorphosis.

We are in the process of deciding about the rest of our life.  Where do we want to live?  What do we want to do?  Is it realistic to move to Hawaii, as I have always dreamed?  Would it be too hard to live in a place where we know no one?  Do we want to be close to family, or close to dear friends who live at a distance?

We have spent a week discussing these issues with friends and redefining relationships with family members.  My brain is spinning with indecision and uncertainty.

Today I am relaxing and forgetting it all for the moment.  I went to the store and bought some flowers.  I just saw them and felt inspired.  I began taking some photos of them.  Then I took some photos of other things that make me happy.

At first I thought they were a pale, pale pink.  Now that they have opened they look more white.

I'm also happy with the rug I bought from Maryam in Marrakesh...

And the tapestry pillows that represent fire, water, air and earth...

I put this little mouse on the clock as a decoration one Christmas.  I liked it there so I left it.  Hickory Dickory Dock.

It turns out I'm happy that "William Shakesbeare" didn't sell at the yard sale... it's nice seeing him sitting  there.

So I got my mind off making decisions and enjoyed some of the things that surround me right where I am now.

Coming Home

I've been out of town, visiting friends.  Now I need to unpack my suitcase and go shopping to refill my fridge.

Then I need to come back here!

Happy Day Today

The debt crisis is over (for now).  My colonoscopy is over (for another five years).  So I'm having a happy day.  I can eat solid food again.  I can sleep at night again.

The air is cool and the fireplace is blazing.  This is an interval of peace and quiet before all the fall and winter holidays are upon us.

Long Day

Today is going to be a long one for me... because I'm not allowed to eat any solid food.  I'm having a colonoscopy tomorrow.  The only things I am allowed to eat today are:

And it can't even be chocolate! 

And it can't be red!

It's going to be a long day.  I'm hungry already!

I Survived the Yard Sale

I took part in a community yard sale over the weekend.  It was held in the parking lot of the Country Administration Building.

We each got one parking space in which to set up our sale.  I was surprised how much "stuff" could fit into one parking space.

There were lots of families shopping, and many children looking for something special.

All kinds of things were for sale.

I sold some dishes:

And some toys:

A local flavor was evident.

The yard sale was to begin at 8:00 a.m.  We had from 6:00 to 7:30 to set up.  My husband and I got up at 5:30.  We had loaded up two cars the night before, one with tables and the other with our merchandise.  I hardly slept the night before because it was all running through my head.  We got to the spot at 6:30, while it was still dark and cold. They had all the lights on in the parking lot so we could see as we set up.  Before the sale was over at 1:00 it was sunny and warm.  One man bought all my handpainted china.  Another man bought 17 vintage Fisher Price little people. Those were very popular.  Many parents brought their children over to pick out Beanie Babies.  I was surprised how many people still like them.  No one bought any Fenton Glass or Depression glass.  I guess I will put that on eBay.  Over all, it was a good experience and fun for people watching.  It was a lot of work, though.  I think it would be a lot easier to have it at home.

Freaky Friday

This is me today... rushing around making preparations for the yard sale tomorrow!  Go to bank, get change, pay bills, go to grocery to get sandwich making ingredients, go check out the site, go to the pet store (the cats' water fountain stopped working this morning!).

A First For Me!

I have never participated in a yard sale before.  But this week I decided to do everything I could think of to distract myself from the mess in Washington.  On the way to the grocery store I saw a sign for a community yard sale this Saturday.  I called the number and reserved a space.

I spent all day today gathering merchandise.  I went through cupboards upstairs and boxes in the basement.  I gathered it all in the dining room.  I have more than enough for a one-day sale.

I am a novice yard/garage seller.  I'm not sure how to set things up, how to display things, how to price things, etc.  I will need tables to set things on.  I will need to go to the bank to get change. Will people expect me to provide bags or boxes to put their purchases into?  Will anyone buy anything in the first place?  It's all making me a little nervous.

I hoped to talk my husband into helping me.  Saturday is usually his golf game, and  it's almost a religion to him.  I told him maybe he could just come at six a.m. to help me set up then go to his golf game.  Then I reminded him that his regular golf partner has occasionally begged off to go and help his wife count money for their church.  Later he surprised me by saying he would stay and help.  He's a much better sales person than I am; I am way too timid to deal with people I don't know.

I will probably be busy the rest of the week getting ready.  I have to organize things and label things and load things into the car.  It's going to be an interesting weekend!

Better Than Politics

I finished the front porch decorations for the Fall/Halloween season:

Then I got my shells from the Outer Banks out of my beach bag.  There was still sand in the bottom of the bag, which was a nice reminder of the beach.

I already have a collection of shells, a collection of sea glass, a collection of stones.  I will decide which of these to keep.

It's all much more enjoyable than worrying about politics!