APril 2010 continued: Prep and diagnosis

I returned from Vegas and spent the following Sunday prepping for my colonoscopy.By prepping I mean not eating food, and ingesting this Magnesium citrate! M.C. is extremely un-ingestible.

"Pleasing Lemony Flavor" is what they put on the label. Who is "they" anyway? They must not have to drink that stuff, or they are masochists! I had to drink 10 oz at noon and then the other 10 oz six hours later. It upsets the stomach big time after the first dose, and after 5 oz of the second dose I couldn't keep it in (either end). My body had had enough. IT was done.

Monday morning I went in for the colonoscopy. That went well, though the Doctor stated that he couldn't even get the scope all the way through as I was very obstructed. He told my husband he thought it could be Chrones Disease, but we would wait for results to say for sure. I went home and spent the next few days in ignorant bliss, researching Chrones Disease...beginning to think I didn't really want it to be that. I am not sure now what I wanted it to be, but Chrones didn't sound too fun.

Thursday morning came and I had an appointment with a different doctor for a different issue.

While John, Damon and I were waiting, Dr. Norkus came and asked us back to his office. We got there and he looked so serious. He stated that what they found was NOT Chrones disease. Then the dreaded sentence, "What they found was Colon Cancer".

He talked slow and steady, and continued for a moment in his calming voice. His demeanour was pure compassion. He then asked if we wanted the nurse to take Damon out of the room.

" Yes" we said.

He then continued to explain some things to us and gave us a few moments alone. My John broke down. He cried and cried. I wanted to cry and scream, but no...that would not be appropriate when my husband so apparently needed my strength (so I shared what I wasn't sure I had) at that moment.

It was a very emotional day from that moment on. Dr. Norkus wanted to have a CT scan ASAP that day, so that was scheduled. It involved drinking more nasty stuff....though not quite as nasty as the M.C.

After the CT scan we were informed there were nodules in my lungs. I was scheduled for surgery the following Monday to resection my colon.

Just four days to prepare to be gone from home for 7 days. I had a lot to do, AND, deal with the news, inform family and friends, comfort my family, and ask the Lord to comfort me. I had better get on it!