Subj : Health Update
To   : Kurt Weiske
From : Ardith Hinton
Date : Tue Jul 07 2020 23:32:34

 AH>  Hi & welcome, Kurt!  I recognized your name from other
 AH>  echoes but don't recall seeing it here before.

 KW>  I think this was my first post here,


           Ah.  So I'm not losing my mind... or at least not completely.  :-Q



 KW>  been on Fidonet since 1991. :)


           1988 in Dallas's case, 1990 in mine.  We started this echo in 1990 while our daughter was in treatment for leukemia & I noticed many people were returning home from the hospital to small communities where they had a lot of well-wishers who crowded the local airport to welcome them back, but where it might be difficult to find anybody with related knowledge or experience.  Our focus changes as various people bring up various issues.  IMHO SURVIVOR is an attitude inspired by the work of an oncologist, not a medical diagnosis.  :-)



 AH>  I didn't find the stuff tasted too bad if it was well
 AH>  chilled beforehand, but it took me 5 1/2 hours to get
 AH>  through 4 litres (about a gallon in US measurements)
 AH>  of it.

 KW>  Argh - yes. The older prep, which apparently had some
 KW>  bad side effects was much easier - I think it was 32 oz?


           IOW, about 1/4 of the amount.  I imagine that may be what a friend was using when she told me she'd spent three days on the toilet & said "Never again!"  She had a second colonoscopy a few months ago, however, and reported that the newer prep was a considerable improvement....  :-)



 KW>  I don't recall apple juice being on the recommended
 KW>  list where I went. The prohibited foods were mostly
 KW>  anything dark or red.


           In my case the instructions from the hospital were rather sketchy, but Uncle Google provided further details.  ;-)



 KW>  I'll need to try apple juice, as I'm about due for
 KW>  another one.


           I found it very helpful when... roughly 3/4 of the way through the prep... I began shaking uncontrollably.  My self-diagnosis of low blood sugar was confirmed within minutes after Dallas brought me some apple juice.

           Another thing which both Dallas & I found helpful, although he was using a split dose & I wasn't, was decanting the prep into empty soda bottles
.... appropriately labelled, of course.  That way it's easier to fit the stuff into the fridge & to keep the next installment cold....  :-)



 KW>  I recover well from the anaesthesia, so always
 KW>  look forward to the first meal afterwards. Last
 KW>  was a San Francisco-style Carne Asada burrito.


           Because I was aware that a person may need to start slowly after a long fast &/or an anesthetic, and because I was released from the hospital at lunch time, I cautiously ingested more apple juice & half of a tuna sandwich. When all seemed to be well I took advantage of the special on halibut & chips
.... French fries, to our neighbours who live south of the 49th parallel... at one of our local restaurants.  Although I love halibut the season is limited, and although the fries could easily have been replaced by a salad I had a yen for them.  The fat content was risky... but I'm alive to tell the tale.  :-))



 KW>  Gotta have something to look forward to...


           Yes, I think it is quite important.  I noticed that when my father was in hospital he couldn't wait to get out of the place & go home.  I'm much the same way in that regard & I encouraged our daughter to follow suit.  Each time we visited the outpatient clinic, e.g., we'd also visit a nearby park on the way back so she could feed the ducks.  If you believe life is still worth living despite your medical problems I reckon we're on the same page....  :-)




--- timEd/386 1.10.y2k+
 * Origin: Wits' End, Vancouver CANADA (1:153/716)

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