I titled my blog "My Wonderful Journey with Breast Cancer" for a reason. From the moment that I learned that I had breast cancer, I decided that I was going to beat it and that I was gong to be taken down a wonderful journey. I just knew that I was going to experience things that I wouldn't normally experience if I didn't have it. Wonderful was appropriate because I knew whatever I experienced was going to make my life change for the better. I believed that. When I initially started my blog, it was just for me to help keep my loved ones informed of what was going on with me. I didn't want to have to explain over and over again what was up. I never realized how important my blog would be for me. It often times inspires me on days when I need it. Re-reading some of my entires helps me see what I went through and how I got through it. When I hear that it has inspired someone else, then it really makes it all worth it.
WARNING: PARENTAL DISCRETION ADVISED-TALKING ABOUT COLONOSCOPY AND NASTY STUFF!!
The last time I wrote again, I was sitting in hospital about to go to sleep from the morphine that they gave me. I spent the rest of Thursday night just resting. Not peacefully but resting. It is so hard to rest in hospitals because they interrupt you throughout the night. The nurses and techs kept coming into my room to talk to me. They said I was the "nicest patient" that they had ever seen. I guess I thought all patients were nice to the people that were taking care of them. I was evidently wrong on that. My stomach had this achy feeling constantly. They were giving me nausea medicine every 4 hours and it still didn't seem to work. I was on a liquid diet. This made me wonder if I was just hungry but the thought of food made me sick.
When I woke up Friday morning, I was still feeling sick. I was anxious to see the doctor to find out what was wrong with me. By the time he came, I was so ready to get an answer and to find out how to fix this issue going on with me. I hadn't seen any blood since that first time. This had to be a good sign. By the time the Gastrologist doctor came, I was so sick. The doctor told me that my CT Scan showed that my left colon was inflammed. In order to see what was going on, he needed to do another test. He looked me over and then he said something that I didn't want to hear. "Evelyn, you need to have a colonoscopy done!" I said, "I do." He stated that he needed to go in and look at my colon closer to make sure there wasn't any cancer, polyps or something else going on. He explained that he would do the procedure Saturday morning. However, I would have to clean my colon out first. So I was suppose to drink this gallon of liquid today that would clean me out before my Saturday procedure. Of course, I knew it wouldn't taste great. I just knew it. Around 4:00 p.m., the nurse brings this liquid in to me and tells me to have it done by Midnight. I took the first sip and OMG, it was the worse. I wanted to gag. I attempt to start drinking this mess. One sip of liquid, one sip of grape juice. I had to do whatever I could to get it down. It took me the whole 8 hours to drink it. During those eight hours, I was going to the bathroom every hour to clean out. The nurse stated that my bowel movement had to be clear with no matter in it. Let me just say, I spent the rest of the evening sleeping on the toilet. LOL
Saturday morning I waited for my procedure to get done. The nurse tech that came in to get my vitals was this young pregnant woman. I could tell she had something on her mind when she started to take my blood pressure. Typical me, I asked her was she ok. She starts to tell me some of her struggles (first week of nursing school, being pregnant, and husband issues.) I then begin to talk to her about life and faith. Told her my struggle this whole summer and what I have been through. Tried to help her see that even when things look bad, there is always something good coming. Before she left my room, she thanked me and said that I was want she needed that morning. The next time she came back to my room, she had a huge smile and her eyes were bright. I said, "Now that is what I want to see." She said to me, "After talking with you this morning, I realized that I need to trust God more." I like that. There was a reason that I had to be in that hospital room that morning.
They finally came and got me around 10:30 a.m. I was told that the procedure would take about an hour. Another good thing was that they were going to put me to sleep and I wouldn't feel a thing. Thank God is all I could think. Get to the surgery room and they start to prep me for the procedure. I must say the best part was getting the sleeping anesthesia. As soon as he gave it to me, I was out. All I remember was saying to the doctor was "How fast will I....." When I woke, I was relieved to find out that I wasn't sore. They did say that I would pass a lot of gas. That isn't anything. I got my results immediately. My doctor said they found NO CANCER, NO POLYPS, NO NOTHING. I had something called Colitis. Basically, an inflammed colon. This could have been caused by a lot of things. He said I wouldn't need any meds for it but that it should heal on its own. Thank you God!!! I was so elated and felt so happy to hear this news. Doctor said that I wouldn't need another one for 10 years now. That was also good news. Drinking that liquid the night before was horrible but the procedure wasn't bad at all. When I return to my room, I tell Andre and Krissy the good news and I can see the relief in their eyes. Another test with another good result. We all feel the blessings. Doctor releases me to go home and I prepare to leave the hospital.
My hospital stay wasn't what I wanted to do but it was necessary. I had always heard people say they didn't want to get a colonoscopy. But now I realize how important this procedure is. The one thing I have learned is early detection is important in curing things. So for me, I am glad that I had it done. I now know that my colon is good. Coming to the hospital was necessary also because I was able to help that young nurse tech. This stay was just another roadblock that I had to get through. This journey has taken me up and down a lot of different directions. But each direction shows me so much about my life. I was determined from the very beginning to make this journey wonderful, regardless of how bad it got. I knew I had to be positive and that I had to see the good in everything. The definition of wonderful is: exciting wonder (which I wondered about what was going to happen); marvelous (marvelous because I am learning the true beauty of life); extraordinary (extraordinary because it was going to be my personal journey). This journey with breast cancer was unknown to me in the beginning but I knew I wanted to tackle it with a smile. I must say that is exactly what I have been doing. Even on my very worse days, I have still managed to smile at my daughter when she returns from work or smile at Andre when he tells me something funny! Never will I allow anything or anyone to stop me from smiling!
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