in Checking In, Follow-Up, Geezer

Scoping out today’s colonoscopy events

Today I head in for my colonoscopy. I’m to arrive an hour early (8 AM) to make sure paperwork gets filled out, any remaining questions get answered, and to get changed into my gown. While I set settled on a hospital bed, an anesthesiologist will insert an IV into my arm. The doctor will meet with me to answer any other questions I might have and then when the procedure room is ready I’ll get wheeled into it.

Once in the room, I’ll have the opportunity to say hello to the team doing the colonoscopy, usually two other staffers (nurse and anesthesiologist, I believe) and the doctor. I’ll get shifted from the hospital bed to a operating table and told to lie on my left side with my knees pulled up at my chest. I’ll get EKG leads attached to my chest to measure my vital signs.

Once everything is ready, the anesthesiologist will open the valve on the sedation IV. I will be asked to count to 10 and by the time I hit 6 or 8 I will completely go under. The medical team will then do its thing and thirty minutes later I will awaken in a bit of a drug-induced stupor for a while. I recall doing a lot of vivid dreaming right before I was awakened by the nurse calling my name and poking me. It felt like I had been out for a while even though it was only 30-40 minutes.

The doctor will explain to my loving wife whatever instructions I will need when I get home and then I’ll get wheeled in a wheelchair out to our car. I remember feeling able to walk and do things when I got sent out of the facility but this was an illusion. This time around I will be a good patient and take it easy.

Once home I will likely want to sleep for several hours until the sedation wears off. Then the next day it’s back to my same routine with the exception of no exercising or straining for a week or two. The doctors don’t want any potential perforations to get aggravated.

That’s all for this … end. I’ll write more when I come out of my stupor later today.