Dear Readers,

Two days ago, I discussed two of my “first” experiences using the Internet. Well, today, want to talk about “my first colonoscopy”. For men and women, this is an important procedure that a healthcare provider uses to view the entire colon to see if there are any problems.

Some months ago, I had canceled my first outpatient appointment. A high percentage of people cancel the first time. You can guess why!

Although you only have to do this procedure once every ten years after age 50, one has to get up the nerve, and overcome being a chicken. I guess I over came this, and set up my appointment for yesterday. I arrived at my doctors office with my wife at 6:50 a.m. for a 7.30 appointment. By 9:15, my wife was driving me home with great results.

I have to admit, I don’t remember a thing about the procedure. I was pleasantly invited into the preparation room, and provided with the hospital’s finest garb, a backwards bath robe. Ricky, the nurse, tried one of my veins to set up an intravenous line, which would be used after I was rolled into “THE” room to sedate me with demerol. He had trouble getting the needle into one vein, so he choose an area further down my arm near my wrist. This took a bit of time, giving one more time to think, “Why am I here?” Furthermore this is, as Ricky said, a very sensitive area. I assure you it was! A half-hour after laying on a bed with the needle in my wrist and dressed for the occasion, I was rolled at about 50 mph into the procedure room. After some hellos and how are you doing from my doctor, I was given some demerol by Kevin (another nurse) and the next thing I remember was waking up about 45 minutes later to my wife’s beautiful face.

Light headed, and with no experience of any pain, but actually just a very nice feeling, I dressed, and was wheeled to my car, and off we went to MacDonald’s for coffee and pancakes. How good is that!

A colonscopy every 10 years is the best way to screen for colon cancer. More than 50,000 people die from colon cancer each year, making it second leading cause of death by cancer. Studies suggest that getting a colonoscopy can reduce the average person’s risk of getting colon cancer by 90%. A study, however, has found that some polyp (flat ones), are hard to detect during the colonoscopy procedure. However the best chance of finding these types of polyps is good preparation on the part of the patient the day before the procedure. I drank two quarts of a laxative-gatorade solution the day before the procedure.

Here is an interesting video on colonoscopy by CBS News.

It was a procedure I had put off probably longer than I should have. In my case, no polyps were discovered, and I was given a clean bill of health. I still can not believe that I went through the procedure. I don’t remember a thing. But I do know this: I recommend you follow through and experience your first colonoscopy.

Best regards,

Jack