Sunday, October 23, 2011

All that for what?

Okay so obviously I have not been great about updating on my health concerns.  Bonus, I'm still alive - and have been eating salads! But I suppose I should update you all on what has led to my new found excitement for salads.  This is fair warning - this might be TMI for some and for others a chance to laugh at me...I fully understand that this is no "laughing with me" moment; this is full on pointing and laughing.

After the fun day at the ER, a great time at the doctors office the next day with x-rays and blood tests, I got the call a few days later. You will need a colonoscopy.

Seriously? Isn't that what 50 year olds get for their cancer prevention tests? I'm 28 - I'm way to young for that, um, pleasant test to happen.  Apparently this was the only way to really see what is going on in my insides.  My month of October is looking awesome.

The test is scheduled, the "products" I needed to prep was sent over and Tony was going to be out of town. Yes, out of town.  His wife has to get a camera put in her hindside and he was going to be in Vegas.  Are you feeling sorry for me? Cause I am hoping to get some sympathy votes today.  I shouldn't say he was in Vegas just for fun - but he did have to bring home the bacon.  He also lost some of the bacon on slots.  I don't know why has hasn't learned that mama needs that bacon to buy new shoes!

Luckily I have great family who drop a lot of things to be there for each other - and that lucky person to drop everything was dear old Dad.  Although he was sure to let me know he was missing luncheon and they were supposed to have great desserts.  Little did he know that I had leftover cake balls from that shower I was planning on throwing.

While I won't get into details about the whole prepping - I will say the following: People don't lie about it, it really does suck; I never want to drink lemon-lime Gatorade for a long time; I might have been slightly emotional (read: crying, tears, pissed) with Tony while he was away in Vegas.

I will also say that I could never be that person who could do an all liquid diet. Not only is it miserable, but the act of chewing should never be taken for granted.

Moving on - no pun intended - the big day was here. Tyson and I packed up our stuff - cause if this girl was going to be out, there would be no letting Tyson in and out 73 times a day - and we were headed over to my parents and on to the GI doctor.

I'm not sure it was nerves, fears, or knowing the unknown about what was going to happen, but I felt like I needed to clinch my butt cheeks together all morning.  Of course that could also be because I wanted to clinch my butt cheeks together the night before.

Walking into the appointment looking around at the other patients, I cannot begin to tell you the looks I got from the nurses  - what the heck is wrong with this girl and why is she getting this done to her? I would like to think that they thought I was like 18, but that ring on my finger gave it away.  And realistically they probably were wondering who the guy was with me - I made sure to say "Dad' as often and as loud as I could. I didn't want him to be judged.

Can I just say that I've never been asked so many times if I was pregnant or I thought I could be pregnant during this whole process. At first I thought my mom and mothers-in-law had gotten to these nurses to put on the pressure - but then I realized what I was about to go through and those were typical questions.

But another question I was asked if I was in fear at home or being abused.  After saying no, quickly and with authority, I rolled up my sleeve to get my IV and remembered that I had this on my arm:

Yes - those would be two large scratches on my arm from the dog after being gone for a weekend. Quickly I told the nurse that I had a dog - luckily for she had a boxer as well and understood. Phew.

From there, it went pretty quick. I had to put on a gown, get an IV put in my wrist and then got wheeled away. And let me just tell you, those drugs not only work quickly but amazing. So what I thought was 10 minutes - maybe, actually turned into an hour, and I was back in my little room - staring at my Dad, who was laughing at me while the nurse was waking up.  Immediately I went back to grade school where I was being woken up for school.

And that's when I was told I was given prophynel. Oh yes - the Michael Jackson drug.  Later my mom told me it would have been great if I got up and did the Thriller dance. Obviously it would be more like PYT than Thriller - I don't do zombies.

Okay - so before leaving I had to accomplish a task.  I had to pass gas. Yep - gas in front of my dad - in a nightgown thing while on drugs. Of course this brought back memories of what I told my friend Katie my most embarrassing moment was: farting in front of my family.  Silly me - I'm not sure why that was so embarrassing - of course Katie still makes fun of me to this day.

After that mission was accomplished - off we went to rest and relax. And watch the Kardashian's wedding pallooza, with my Dad.  Yes - he watched to and our conversation went like this:

Dad: Why am I watching this?
Dad: That Klohe sister isn't that pretty.
Me: Really? She's just taller than the others.
Dad: Wow, that's a really bad facelift on Bruce.
Dad: Why am I still watching this?
Dad: That Kim is really pretty.

No lie. This seriously happened. He left for a bit - and big shocker, it was still going on, and yes, he sat down and watched it again. And then my mom came home and she got hooked. This is what happens when I get my parents hooked on E! - its amazing.

I apologize - this is getting really long, but this is what happens when I watch TV and blog. ADD at it's finest.

But anyway - we're two weeks out from the big colonoscopy and although they took  a couple biopsies, results came out normal.  Yes.  All of that work for a normal result.  Of  course I'm very happy with the results, while I wish something could have been figured out - its been an amazing two weeks of salads. Did I tell you how much I missed salads while I was out of commission?

That's where were are - of course my month got even better when I went to the dentist for a cleaning and a tooth ache. And now I get to have a root canal....on Halloween.  Amazing. This is my life.

Hopefully my Dad won't have to take me to get that procedure.  Or if it does, let's hope that there is a great Kardashian marathon on.

 

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Fat Talk Free Week

So I saw this today on one of the blogs I read. What first caught my attention was my sorority's name - I'm a sorority girl until the day I die, yes...call me Suzy Sorority, but I made some of my best friends while singing songs, giving handshakes, and wearing t-shirts with big bold Tri Deltas on them.

Seeing this made me happy to be a part of something so great - mock if you will, but I am one to know that I fall into the category of Fat Talk. Tony deals with it almost daily - unless I really work out, then I just want him to tell him how great my butt looks (sorry Dad). Watch this video, and although this specific week is over, maybe it can transfer over into the rest of the month, maybe the rest of the year.

I promise I have updates on my health - and will update those soon - and be a little more light hearted.

(P.S. I'm not sure why is posted twice. Apparently I really want you to watch this) (source)



Wednesday, October 5, 2011

That Could be an Episode of Grey's Anatomy

It's been an interesting week. I should probably start with a recap of the weekend, so you can understand the full concept of what all happened Sunday.

I was planning a baby shower for my sister-in-law (on Tony's side), cleaning, buying groceries, making Tony crazy with my requests, and rolling balls. Cake balls, that is.

All was good - I had the house decorated, cleaned, food ready and prepared for everyone to cram into our house.  I even had my parents bring over plants, pumpkins and other items needed for that next day. Yes, they are awesome...not only do they provide me with supplies, but my mom knows how many plants I could destroy in a matter of minutes, so she prepares for that.

Long story short, I was ready to throw this shindig. So in celebration of my party-readiness, we went out for drinks for a friends 30th birthday.  Multiple wings were eaten and two beers consumed.  I'm numbering my adult beverages because I would like all of you to know I'm not always a lush, and I can control my drinking....when it comes to beer.

So after going home at a decent hour and preparing a checklist of what to do the next day, I was shocked when I woke up at 6:30 am with pains that not even pregnant ladies should feel when they are birthing children.

While cramping up, and breathing lamaze style for a few hours, we made the decision that it was in fact not constipation (TMI?) and that a trip to the emergency room was in store.

Awesome. We crossed our fingers for a small wait and quick relief.

Neither really happened...so we waited.....and waited...and some of us cramped up multiple times.  The doctor came in and told us it was probably a lot of gas.

Really? Gas? You're telling me that I feel like crap because I have gas? Oh no, no, doctor, that is not gas. Tony joked that this would make a really good episode of Grey's Anatomy.  Yes, darling, because right now all I want to think about is how I would make that awkward patient that had gas instead of something really wrong.

So we think you have gas.
But the pain kept coming like that annoying train in Olathe. So we pushed on and asked for more tests.  On came the tubes for blood and finally something seemed odd enough to look into getting a CT. This Grey's episode kept getting better.

While waiting for the CT, the pains came and Tony stood by my side, telling me to breath and holding my hand. And we both realized that this was preparation for childbirth.  I have a feeling I may be yelling more expletives at that moment. 
We're going to be ready for this baby thing in no time!
Finally relief came after the CT scans came back.  Well, relief for some, my pain was still going on. But they found some inflammation in my intestine.  Which then led to the words: colonoscopy.

What?? No...no sir...I am not having anything in my rear until I'm at least 50.  That's what's supposed to happen! 

Ugh.  After hearing those dreadful words, more x-rays and blood work, I now have to follow up with a GI doctor to figure out what the heck is going on.  And until then, my diet consists of the BRATT diet...in other words, bananas, rice, applesauce, tea and toast.  And since my texture issues come into play, it's pretty much been toast and water this week. And soup - I forgot that I was cleared for soup.
Just give me some cheese! Make me a sandwich!

I've never wanted a salad more in all of my life. But this girl can't have any roughage. Awesome. 

So we wait. Wait for doctors, wait for stress levels to go down, and wait until I can have an actual meal. At least my CT scan would have made a better episode than just gas.