Well, Campers, it's been an interesting week.
The bubbas have finished clearing out the section of the property that the house and horse barn will be built on. That would be me standing in the center. This week will be devoted to clearing out the area for my Brother's house as well as cleaning up the driveway a bit. Some of the jungle and old trees are pretty close to it.
That is the good news.
The rest of the week was one of those weeks, you know, you HAVE to go through.
I'd had a checkup with one of my Doctors. Apparently, between my last physical and this one, I had lost 20 lbs. Which surprised me as I hadn't done anything too radical exercise wise.
Although in the last 2-3 weeks, I have started a walking agenda with 6000 steps as my daily goal. As it stands right now, of the 19 days since I started, I've made my goal 17 times. I'll explain in a bit why not 19 of 19. But, this walking thing hasn't been going on long enough to lose 20lbs.
Anyhow, back to the Doctor's visit. He poked and prodded and couldn't see anything obvious, so he recommended a colonoscopy.
Oh Joy!
Then he said a "Shiver me timbers" statement
He said "juvat, I don't know what it is, but it could be cancer."
That shut me up pretty quickly.
He then said he thought I should get a colonoscopy as well as an Upper GI endoscopy. To put it into a Fighter Pilot's vernacular, in addition to sticking a movie camera up your lower posterior anatomy, they were also going to stick one down your throat.
Oh Joy! And, no Beans, they weren't the same camera for both actions.
They scheduled the operation for last Wednesday. For those of you that may never have had an experience like this, the funnest part (No Beans not funniest!) is the prep. In case you didn't recognize that last sentence, it's sarcasm.
They give you this large bottle of liquid and tell you to drink it all at once. Shortly thereafter, you become one with your toilet. This goes on for about 12 hours.
Oh...No eating, drinking anything red or purple, just water. Not having a very large brain, I was concerned about downloading portions of that out my lower fire escape.
That, by far, was the worst part of the process. Got all that done, showed up for the episode. Got knocked out and woke up somewhat later in the recovery room.
The first question I asked the Doc was "What did you find?"
Fortunately, he knew what I was really asking.
"We did not find any Cancer!"
I'm sure that wasn't exactly the terminology, but I got the message.
Thank you Lord! (and Doc!)
I was released later that afternoon (Wednesday). None the worse the wear for the episode.
Except being hungry as all get up. But...NOOOOO....you've got to take it easy until tomorrow. RRIIIIIGGGGHHHHHTTTT!
Chicken Broth and water. Sounds delicious!
Oh, Needed a picture for this posting.
Beans, this is just for you. This is what my innard's look like.
I've recently been through the same. Rapid weight loss = GP wonders whether it's cancer. Uparseoscope: no cancer but polyps removed, including one giant.
ReplyDeleteI can recommend a hot, comforting drink that doesn't count as food during the prep for the procedure. An old British favourite: Bovril - effectively a beef tea. Mmmm!
Dearieme,
DeleteI had a couple of polyps removed also. Doc said “no big deal, all benign”
Wish I had known about beef tea. Sounds good as I think back on pre-surgery.
juvat
My one and only far-end endoscopy was irritating. The prep wasn't as bad as I had expected. Unpleasant, but not the "makes the Saturn 5 look puny" I had expected.
ReplyDeleteI put a pot roast and all the trimmings in the crock pot before we left . Got there at the appointed pre-appointment time. Was directed in the right direction. Checked in and waited. Appointment time arrived. And I waited. After half an hour I went back to the helpful lady at the desk and asked if it would be soon. Didn't make the obvious joke when told that they were running a little behind. OK, it was the afternoon, things run longer than expected. "Tolerance stacking, " we used to call it. 4 half hours intervals later, being regularly assured it would be soon, and loosing my patience, I waylaid only of the techs, asked when they would get to me, since everyone before and after me had been called., and it was now 2 hours after the scheduled start time. "Why didn't you check at the receptionist?" Explained that I had several times. Showed her my work order. "Why do they schedule these for Monday? They know that half our staff is off!" So...she ushers me in and got things going. I called home, "you all done?" "No, they just started the IV Yurn the crock pot to low."
About 3 hours after what I had been told was the time I would be done they released me. Was told to go easy on food. I laughed. Told them about Orthodox Lent, and the diet we're supposed to follow for the first 3 days. Water, tea, coffee, fruit juice. No milk or cream for the coffee and tea. And the diet for the rest of Lent. So a celebratory feast after fasting was something I had adapted to.
Pot roast was fall apart tender,.
Joe,
DeleteFortunately, this time it wasn't quite like that. But. BTDT and I feel your pain.
Sorry for the chuckle as I read your post, but I was seeing my self in your story.
Thanks
juvat
Oh man juvat! The Big C! Significant weight loss with doubtful reason(s) for it.....possible cancer?! That colonoscopy prep is .....draining, I've had more than one to date and a polyp or two removed. No cancer for you....HUZZAH!! With one reason gone the docs come up with a reason for the weight loss?
ReplyDeleteNylon, No, I've got an appointment with my new Primary Care Doc next month. We'll see what he's got to say. (For some reason, my former Doc didn't want to move to College Station to take care of me.)
Deletejuvat
Great news on the clean inspection! That "C" word is almost enough to clean you out as I recall.
ReplyDeleteRob,
DeleteYeah, my BP did go up a bit and sleep was a bit harder to acquire prior to the procedure. Fortunately....
juvat
I had a rear inspection last month, the "see you in 5 years" is good news!
ReplyDeleteRob,
DeleteI don't remember a 5 year intermission statement. Have to check with Mrs J to see if they told her anything about a follow up schedule.
juvat
Juvat, I had one in 2022. Not an experience that I am looking forward to re-enacting - as you suggest, the "prep" really is not funny. Glad everything went better than could be expected.
ReplyDeleteDid they come up with any other ideas on the weight loss, other than its a good thing and something they have probably been asking about for a while?
THBB,
DeleteNo, they passed me off to my new Primary Care Doc. (We just moved) That's scheduled for next month. We shall see what we shall see.
juvat
juvat, I am indeed fortunate to be on a 10 year cycle for the action/reaction prep. All the years, one very small polyp. One bit a funny business. Turns out my reaction to the joy juice is similar to a chamber ride. First procedure they inject the joy juice and ask me to move my hand on the rail. I responded with O and when I woke up on the recovery room I said K.
ReplyDeleteWorked,
DeleteYeah the O and the K were separated a bit when they gave me the Sleeping Beauty potion. Which was fine with me!
juvat
Not to be negative, but are you having other tests to rule it out in other places besides the lower fire escape? Assuming it's not the big C, I'd love to be on whatever weight loss plan you're on- my 11500 steps a day of which I'm obsessive- does nothing for me that I can tell.
ReplyDeleteTuna,
DeleteI don't know, I've got an appointment with my Primary Care doctor in a bit. That will be one of my first questions I'll ask him. (As mentioned above, the move got me a new Primary Care dude. We'll see what he has to say. If he's asking me questions about what's been done vs telling me what's in my record an what I should do. That would be a bad sign in my mind.
As to walking, I'm getting a lot of 9K+ days lately and liking it.
juvat
Good for you. My goal is 5mi/day which is usually around 11.5k. I probably need to increase my burn though, and cut out drinking, which I've done for lent. Not a boozer by any means, but that's a good sacrifice.
DeleteI’m not up to that distance, but I am hitting 9 k regularly now. Fortunately, the weather here is cooperating. A light jacket has been the most extra clothing I’ve needed so far. Hope it keeps up.
Deletejuvat
Well, your new Doc certainly has some good conversation starters to get your attention. Glad they found nothing there.
ReplyDeleteGood news is that after several "come back in 5 years" or 3 years after some benign polyps, they eventually get tired of looking at your butt and at age 80 will likely tell you "thanks for doing your business, but don't bother coming back." Apparently they think after that with no prior problems, something else will almost certainly get you, so no point doing butt checks any more.
Good luck with the next new doc. Hopefully one of them will give your driver's license back.
Good progress on the homestead.
JB
JB,
DeleteLast first. I'd better get it back on the 1st of May (AKA 6 months). My patience is running thin.
That's an interesting thought in that second paragraph. We'll see what happens.
juvat
I was told a few years back that all men should have a colonoscopy every 5 years; after my last one ten years ago at 75, my colonoscopist said, "Don't bother coming back. I had to spend five minutes finding a large enough polyp I could put under the microscope."
ReplyDeleteI felt like the guy whose doctor told him, "Go back and tell your boss I couldn't find any lead up there."
Boron,
DeleteGlad things are working out for you! No need to "Sit and Wait"
;-)
juvat
So, roughly, in the past year, you have lost 20#...roughly...Am I right?
ReplyDeleteThe same past year in which you had an attack of A-fib, and, I am sure, had your meds adjusted. Plus, although I don't "know" know, but am assuming you had a pacer implanted...having vague memories of reading that at some point in time??
And you have packed, unpacked, moved, unpacked, and are now doing a walking program!! Yay!! Good for you!!!
My guess is the med adjustments, plus a new pacer, is making your heart work MUCH more effectively, with the end result of much less fluid retention. 20# can easily be fluid retention, and now that your heart, and by extension, your kidneys, are back to working efficiently, so you are not retaining as much fluid as prior to your truck remodeling incident. Bet you are not as short of breath, and that your ankles are looking much slimmer and sexier...And, with knowing Mrs J has completed HER medical adventures in oncology care, that has relieved a BIG bunch of stress off YOUR shoulders. Lot of folks do tend to eat "comfort food" when they are stressing...and now your stress levels have improved...Hopefully!!!
So, your 20# weight loss could easily be from multiple factors...BUT good on you for being 20# down!!! That really is huge!!!!
And, in the next month, step on the scale, buck naked every morning, before ya get dressed, (okay, put your glasses on so you can see), same scale every day, and WRITE DOWN (cause you will never remember) on a calendar, or a piece of paper, what your weight is. EVERY DAY!!!! Bring it to the appointment with the new primary doc. What you are looking for/at is the daily change from one day to the next, and the change from 1 week to the next. It can help them track your cardiac status. My guess is you were developing some congestive heart failure which can be common with A-fib folks, and the pacemaker, and your walking program, and your healthier eating is all working to improve your cardiac status.
But, this is all just a guess on my part.
Suz
Suz,
DeleteHoly Cow! Thank you VERY (VERY, VERY) much. You answered a lot of my questions and gave me answers that made sense. I will do my absolute best to comply.
Thanks
juvat
P.S. That was an excellent comprehensive, yet understandable explanation of things that were (hopefully not "are") going on. Again, Thanks!
You are more than welcome!! It is an explanation I have given multiple times over the years. Heart issues do have an body wide affect many don't realize, and cardiology types are not always good about speaking in easy to understand English. They are great at medical-ize, not always every-person English. But they tend to be good at the procedures/surgeries that fix, or at least improve, said cardiac issues.
DeleteSuz
Gold star for Suz today!
DeleteConcur- That was very informative and helpful. Thanks Suz!
DeleteJB
Fighter pilots have all the "fun." As a many-time colonoscopy ace I understand. All too well. (I've even written of those adventures here.)
ReplyDeleteKeep your powder dry.
After nearly two feet of snow (with more still falling) I'm amazed we still have power. Praise the Lord!
I thought you were headed south to visit the kids and grands. Did it come faster than forecast? Stay Warm, My Friend!
Deletejuvat
Not until Thursday.
DeleteAhhh, Makes Sense. I hope the roads are back to normal by then.
Deletejuvat
Not sure if the roads will be clear by Wednesday morning, when The Missus Herself is scheduled to fly to California. So far they're saying 32" at the airport, 5 miles over the Bay from us, which beats the previous record of the infamous Blizzard of 1978 which was 28".
DeleteTo me it looks a lot like the Blizzard of '82 out in Denver. IYKYK
Camera down the throat? Done that.
ReplyDeleteCamera up the butt? Done that.
Camera up the pee-pee tract? Done that, still have nightmares and phantom pain. Amazing how shoving a whole news truck into the urethra can hurt...
Mammogram? Yeah, done that, too. Seems I had to adjust my armor and add more padding... Silly me. That one hurt far less than what I would have imagined from what all the ladies said mammograms hurt.
So, well, could have been worse.
So far, no cancer other than a couple skin cancers.
Glad you are faring well so far. I'll keep my fingers crossed about the rest of your testing.
No comment on your procedure; never had one and at my age not recommended. I was admiring your photo (of the home site). Looks like a good grading job. As you are probably aware, Murphy is a contractor.
ReplyDeleteHad my second endoscopy in Jan and things went smoother. My Dr prescribes a mixture of 64 oz of Gatorade mixed with a powdered laxative. I had found one that doesn't taste too awful, tastes better warm, and even better with the laxative mixed in. Mentioned (jokingly) to the Dr that 64 oz is about the same as six beers. I suggested that heading to the bathroom with a six-pack, the laxative, and a good book to spend the day would make the experience a lot more enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteThat is a relief in more ways than one! Congrats!!!
ReplyDelete