The test we all dread....but need to have!

After a "fun" filled day AND night (!!!) , I went to have my colonoscopy this morning.

The last one that I had was ten years ago...and, because all was clear then, I didn't have to go through it again until now.

For those of you who have been through this miserable experience, it is the prep for the test that is really the difficult part. We are forced to take pills and drink ginormous amounts of liquids (doctored up with laxatives) the night before...while cutting out any food the entire day.

So, I found myself up most of the night while the prep "did its magic"!!! **groan**

The test itself is a piece of cake in that you are totally sedated and don't know a thing that is going on until it is over and you wake up to see the nurse above you, hopefully, smiling.

I did find out that they had to remove a polyp from my intestines this time. The majority of colon polyps aren't cancerous....but, they can become cancerous if not detected and removed. Mine was small and easily removed. The only thing that changes now is that I will have to be retested in 5 years instead of 10. I also found out that colon polyps occur in about 50% of the population over 50 and can be caused by many factors....including genetics.

So, as I sit here today, I am so very grateful that the colonoscopy provided my doctor with the ability to remove something benign...something that could have been cancerous further down the road.

And, in my opinion, that makes the inconvenience of the prep and the sleepless night well worth it...and, another little perk with this test is that your stomach will temporarily be flatter than ever before! Nice... : )

(If you are over 50, please consider having this life-saving test done!)