From 3 to 5, Post Procedure, Fighting and Shooting
When I got home from work on Thursday DJ was there as Cindy was babysitting for a bit. He wound up being a very cute addition to a very ugly process, getting the first dose of the colonoscopy prep solution down my throat. I used a similar procedure as before, pulling it right out of the fridge and adding some cold water to dilute it a bit. Cindy advised me to just drink the Suprep straight as it’s less fluid to down so it goes quicker. I told her I was on the verge of throwing up as is, making it taste even stronger did not seem like the right course of action for me. It probably took me at least 10-12 disgusting gulps until I got it all down.
Within a half hour I was on the toilet with many, many repeat trips over the next three hours. It was as miserable as I recalled it being three short years ago. I tried to get bed early as my procedure this time was a couple hours earlier than last, meaning I had to do the second dose of the prep crazy early, 3:30 AM. I set an alarm but somehow found myself awake at 3:19 so I turned it off to hopefully allow Cindy to keep sleeping.
I slipped out into the kitchen and decided to try Cindy’s method this time, it couldn’t be any worse than what I had been experiencing. It actually was less oppressive overall. Although the solution is more concentrated I had it all gone in three gulps. I immediately drank two big glasses of water to chase it. I was up the rest of the night rotating between bathroom trips and WoW, it was lovely.
By the time we got to the endoscopy center I just wanted to get the misery over with. I was tired, feeling like I was running on fumes from the lack of food combined with a lack of sleep. Cindy was unable to wait in the waiting room due to covid so she dropped me off and then headed out to the car. In less than 10 minutes I was taken back by the nurse. I already knew the routine but still I couldn’t help having some of my typical reactions with medical procedures like sweating and an inability to watch any needles being stuck into my body. The IV solution felt cold as it entered my arm, a sensation I didn’t enjoy.
After a brief wait I was carted back to the procedure room where the doctor was with the anesthesiologist. They had me roll onto my side before the solution was injected to knock me out. I recall thinking for a few seconds that the stuff wasn’t working, I still felt awake, then a moment later everything went blank. The next thing I knew I was back in the recovery room with a male nurse. I recall saying a number of incoherent things, including me asking the nurse repeatedly if he was the doctor because he looked like him. The actual doctor came in and gave me my report card. He said they only had to a remove a small 4MM polyp. Evidently the one they removed three years ago was much larger, hence the concern and requirement to come back so soon. The result this time meant I was cleared to go five years before a revisit instead of three, which made me happy, even though I was a little too punch drunk to fully comprehend it.
I was wheeled out of the facility and sat into the Tesla which Cindy pulled up to the door. She was amused by my state of mind after anesthesia. In total I was there for less than 90 minutes which is crazy. Since it was too early to eat lunch we stopped at DD instead where I had my first solid food in over 24 hours, a breakfast sandwich, donut and coffee, it tasted extra good. Of course I did a video covering some of the ordeal.
Shortly after I got home I just vegged out for awhile. I laid in our bed and played Hearthstone for a couple hours. I did have one annoying side effect from the procedure. Before they put you under they stick oxygen tubes up your nostrils. It felt like something in my left sinus became irritated as a result and was causing me to have a non-stop runny nose which was driving me nuts. I must have gone through a box of tissues in a couple days and the irritation still isn’t gone yet. As the day progressed my energy level felt better from getting some food in me. I decided to get a head start on my Saturday morning chores by getting the weeding of the property done awhile, to the displeasure of Cindy who wanted me to just rest. I assured her I was feeling better and up to the task. It was good to start feeling more normal.
On Saturday morning I agreed to go to a nearby community yard sale with Cindy, Katie and DJ. They drove over in Katie’s truck while I rode my S18, meeting them at DD to fuel up before going into the community next door. They towed DJ around in a wagon while I rode ahead on the wheel to scout things out. We would up being there for less than an hour. There wasn’t very strong participation in the event, maybe 10% of the houses had anything out, possibly less. I told Cindy and Katie that unless they were going to bring the truck in, the people selling were too few and far in between to walk much. DJ got a book and a transforming toy car before we called it good to go.
When we got home we wound up having Katie and DJ accompany us on an errand run in the Model Y to Rural King where Katie has only been once or twice before. DJ had never been there. DJ found tons of things that interested him, the biggest being a toy tractor that he was on and off repeatedly. He had to be carried away from it, crying, eventually. He also liked the rabbits, rooster and baby chicks they have in the store. After leaving we did a quick drive thru lunch at Burger King which was ok but far from amazing as you can imagine. We made one more stop, Walmart for the girls to do some grocery shopping while DJ was asleep. I stayed in the car with him. He slept all but a few minutes before they returned. He started crying when he realized mama wasn’t in there with him, despite my efforts to console him.
By the time we got home the predicted rain had started. The rain felt especially cold, Katie was freezing as she transported groceries to her truck before they headed out. On Saturday night Cindy and I watched a Netflix rental that I was unsure if we saw before, Gemini Man with Will Smith. I clearly remember wanting to see it but couldn’t recall if we did. After 5 minutes Cindy and I confirmed we had not watched it before. It was a good action movie with some of that creepy CGI tech to reface actors into much younger versions of themselves. I’d give it a B.
It was quite brisk Sunday morning but it turned into a very nice day with temps in the 70’s. Cindy and I hit Home Depot for some stuff for her but I found myself wanting to mostly just screw around inside. I was telling myself all day that I should go out on one of my EUCs and yet I never did. I did at least complete the direct drive conversion on my Ender 3 printer, something that I had been wanting to get done for a couple weeks. As I was doing it I found myself annoyed with the state of the hobby room. I have a lot of parts and junk that I don’t need in there. I think a purge is needed, similar to what went down in the big shed, minus the rat shit.
I did get some unexpected good news this weekend. Despite gross sales of something like $21,000 dollars last year from the 3D store I still am getting a tax refund this year. The fact that I have so many expenses as part of those sales really helps out as well as my claiming zero deductions at my job. I always have preferred to have my taxes over withheld so I get a check back during tax time. Many financial experts will tell you that’s a poor strategy but it has worked for me. Getting a refund actually turns into a 2X multiplier because all year I have been putting money aside to pay for a possible tax liability, so that money is now freed up as well. I don’t have any frivolous plans as of now. I have more financial demands on me than in recent years so I need to be a bit more careful in what I am spending.
Last night Cindy and I had a VR play session in front of the green screen. Cindy played a fighting game which I later tried as well. It gets you legitimately winded very quickly but is entertaining to spectate. I then did a session in Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge where I spent a good amount of time being lost and confused which is par for the course.
It feels good to have a horizon free of unpleasant medical procedures for the foreseeable future.