Thanks.

Yes, I'll try to get back more often.

 

I am writing this from a hospital bed in a hospital. Waiting for a procedure.

Things are going pretty smooth at the moment, no complaints. And I can always complain, and frequently do. Basically I am waiting gor a colonoscopy. Unlike someone who can walk, I am unable to access a restroom.So special arrangements had to be made.

I'm sure it will all come out alright out off the end.

I'll post more when I know more.,

 

I am writing this from a hospital bed in a hospital. Waiting for a procedure.

Things are going pretty smooth at the moment, no complaints. And I can always complain, and frequently do. Basically I am waiting gor a colonoscopy. Unlike someone who can walk, I am unable to access a restroom.So special arrangements had to be made.

I'm sure it will all come out alright out off the end.

I'll post more when I know more.,

I wish you the best results, Wendy. My thoughts are with you.

 

I'm sure it will all come out alright out off the end.

Groan! At least you still have your sense of humor.

 

Double-groan!

I hope you get conscious sedation. Watching the camera's output on the monitor will be a permanently memorable experience. Enjoy!

 

Oh boy, what fun! At least the oscopy part is a breeze once they wring your gut out. It's things like this that make other trials trivial. Good Luck on the outcome!

 

I'm sure it will all come out alright out off the end.

That's pretty much how the prep goes. The colonoscopy itself is nothing and I look forward to the nap, the prep is another story. Every three years now they go in and get the polyps and check them out. Same deal all pre cancerous.

I hope you get conscious sedation. Watching the camera's output on the monitor will be a permanently memorable experience. Enjoy!

Screw that, I prefer a nap. I saw things once which was enough.

Wendy, wish you the best.

Ron

 

I got one look at that monster they shove up you and decided I didn't ever want to see anything more to do with it.

If you haven't heard it before... https://www.bing.com/videos/search?...ED6E5281B9AEAF08E82AED6&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

 

Hey, come on. Colonoscopy is still the recommended method for screening an at risk population (most people over a certain age) that young academics and greedy insurance companies agree is appropriate.

It is a nothing procedure. I have had it twice without any sedation and prefer it that way, as well as with sedation. In the US, sedation far exceeds no sedation. In Europe, it is the other way around. There are clear reasons when sedation is needed. In most cases, and with a competent endoscopist, there is really no pain either way. Man up and avoid the risk of sedation or anesthesia. Moreover, you can make sure the endoscopist goes all the way to the ileocoecal valve (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ileocecal_valve). When your are asleep or drugged, you many not remember that event.

 

Well I have a family history of colorectal cancer so I have it done regularly, I don't like it, but I do it. And since I have already had/have kidney and prostate cancer I also have MRI and CAT scans twice a year from chin to pelvis. It sure beats the danger of not having them as others in my family have unfortunately found out.

 

I agree with the need for the procedure. Next time, try it without sedation. You will remember a lot more.

In another context, would you agree to sedation before discussing investments with your stockbroker? Probably not. Why do the same with you life?

 

The past several trips I have gone to the same facility, same doctor and the same nurse anesthetist (CRNA) administer the drug so that the gastroenterologist (GI) performing the colonoscopy can focus on completing the procedure. She is a sweetie and we chat as she administers more and more propofol in my IV. I chat as we get into the procedure room and she always smiles and says buy Ron and that's it till I wake up.

Off the topic of colonoscopy when I had one of my shoulder surgeries they also apply a nerve block in your neck. So I am all prepped and they started stuff in my IV which had me in some limbo. I am chatting with the nurses including my anesthesiologist and I keep noticing this guy in scrubs like up above my head I just remember wondering in the back of my distorted mind who is this guy and why is he writhing stuff on my neck? Now I am pretty screwed up and my doctor shows my surgeon who I trally like. So he ask how I feel and I reply great. Then he asked if I knew who I was and I did. He tole the girl OK, lets give another 5. Looks at me and says Ron, do you have any final questions for me? I loudly blurt out, yeah dock I have a question, Who the F,,, is this guy behind me and why is he writing Sh.. on my neck with a magic marker. My wife's head dropped with that loud vocabulary, Everyone is laughing and my doctor tells me "he is the block guy" I mumbled Oh OK and that was lights out for me.

Ron

 

As a rule, I like to watch as much of any procedure as I can -- it's the curious engineer in me. When I was in third grade I happily watched the ER doc dig glass shards out of my hand under just a local. Up until, oh, eight years or so ago I hadn't been under general anesthesia since I was just two years old. I've since been under perhaps twelve or fifteen times for a host of reasons and I discovered, to my great relief, that I tolerate it very well and have never had the slightest trouble going under or coming out. In fact, I rather enjoy it (which is not something that I'm particularly happy about, it's just the way it is). I could be talked into staying awake for a colonoscopy pretty easily, but mine will always be done in conjunction with a more frequent upper endoscopy and I'd just as soon not be awake for those -- I was awake for the transesophogeal echocardiogram and that was more than sufficient to make me prefer being out when they have something shoved down my throat -- it was interesting, yes, but once was enough.

The one thing I don't like -- and it only happened once when propofol was used -- was the loss of short-term memory for a period of time (many minutes) before the introduction of the anesthesia. I don't mind not having memories of when I'm under, but I don't like losing memories from when I'm not. So I specifically request that they not use propofol. Instead they usually use fentanyl, which I tolerate extremely well. As a result, I always have distinct memories of the actual administration of the anesthesia and of fading out over several seconds as it takes hold. A few times I've asked someone to remember how far I'm able to count and tell me afterwards and both times that they actually did and got word back to me it accorded well with my recollection.

 

My first general anesthesia was 60+ years ago when they took my tonsils out. Stuck a metal mesh mask with gauze over my mouth and nose and poured ether out of the can onto it. It was a horrible experience, I thought they were drowning me. Much much better these days.

 

My first general anesthesia was 60+ years ago when they took my tonsils out. Stuck a metal mesh mask with gauze over my mouth and nose and poured ether out of the can onto it. It was a horrible experience, I thought they were drowning me. Much much better these days.

Yeah, hernia about age 7 and it freaked me out with that. Last thing I remembered was seeing my grandfather is his surgery scrubs, he was an attending physician. Maybe that's what waterboarding is all about?

Ron

 

Well, the procedure was done with a good out come. Then the crap hit the world fan. I was pretty depressed at first, but dragged myself out of the funk. In a weird way I am lucky, I get paid unless the US government goes under (I'll stop with that last comment). Sometimes the true mark of intelligence is knowing when to shut up. Since I am an involuntary shut in, I'm going to get back into the hobby I have always loved. I have maxed out my spending for this month getting materials I need for electronic projects. Dallas Maker Space has shut down for the duration of this emergency, but it won't last forever. Meanwhile I can learn new programing skills and other things I've been procrastinating on. Since I don't have access to my garage (yet), I guess my bed will be my workbench for a while. My current priority is a static mat and wrist strap because I generate some impressive sparks rolling around in my wheelchair. I have all the parts on order to rebuild my resistor kit, and powered up a DVM for the first time in almost 4 years(after replacing the battery). I have a USB computer mic on order to see if I can do something besides typing (speed to text on Win 10), which is slow and very frustrating now. I have structured my life to a degree I couldn't have done before the stroke. I may get on the forum and ask for help with specific items, for example I see a small speaker w/ 6" leads already attached for 39¢ but the $6 flat fee shipping has put that way back on the back burner. People my notice I'm more active on AAC writing and archiving things like the Completed Projects Index. I get up every morning at 8AM, try to be in bed by 10:30PM, and not eat too much while I'm up (exercise is always a problem) Having said all that it is 10:00PM, Goodnight.

 

If there becomes a cheap way to send stuff from near Detroit, Mi to you in Texas then I could give you stuff. It just seems to come my way, probably to teach me that success is more than just having stuff.
Presently my main project is helping put together a new restaurant venue in what had been a Subway shop. Now it will be a Mediterranean take-out + sit-down restaurant, second to the existing take-out only establishment. Getting practice at all of the handyman skills.

 

It has been a productive weekend, I was paying $89/mo for FIOS internet from Frontier, I was able to talk them down to $63/mo by dropping my speed to 50Mb/sec. I even told them at the time it wasn't enough. Spectrum Internet is making a serious effort to get their customer base. When they offered 30Mb/sec for $17.99/mo I took it. You have to watch these guys like a hawk. They tried to pad my bills w/ a telephone service that I neither needed or wanted, so I canceled it.Then I found they were charging me an extra $5/mo for WiFi, they insisted it wasn't a equipment rental fee, but when I asked some questions they tried to convince me there was some thing special about their router and if I replaced it it would most likely not work. Talking to their tech dept. I was told it was a standard router whose IPA was hidden. Needing Spectrum's own software to change the SSID and password. I bough a new Router and will be returning theirs later next month. I couldn't afford Frontier but I suspect they are more ethical. Spectrum used to be Comcast and Time Warner, both left me cold about their treatment of customers.

As it happens, my upgrade was a downgrade. Instead of FIOS I now have cable, which I can afford. Oh well. Despite their best efforts I'm getting my $18 internet which I wangled w/ Amazon's help. Almost felt like a tech again. I'll take my moral boosts where I can.

 

It has been a productive weekend, I was paying $89/mo for FIOS internet from Frontier, I was able to talk them down to $63/mo by dropping my speed to 50Mb/sec. I even told them at the time it wasn't enough. Spectrum Internet is making a serious effort to get their customer base. When they offered 30Mb/sec for $17.99/mo I took it. You have to watch these guys like a hawk. They tried to pad my bills w/ a telephone service that I neither needed or wanted, so I canceled it.Then I found they were charging me an extra $5/mo for WiFi, they insisted it wasn't a equipment rental fee, but when I asked some questions they tried to convince me there was some thing special about their router and if I replaced it it would most likely not work. Talking to their tech dept. I was told it was a standard router whose IPA was hidden. Needing Spectrum's own software to change the SSID and password. I bough a new Router and will be returning theirs later next month. I couldn't afford Frontier but I suspect they are more ethical. Spectrum used to be Comcast and Time Warner, both left me cold about their treatment of customers.

As it happens, my upgrade was a downgrade. Instead of FIOS I now have cable, which I can afford. Oh well. Despite their best efforts I'm getting my $18 internet which I wangled w/ Amazon's help. Almost felt like a tech again. I'll take my moral boosts where I can.

It is amazing that a company has to change their name because their reputation became so soiled. And some folks actually believe they are different. And indeed, iif one is communicating mostly text why have the blistering speed required for full motion hi-def movies? That never made sense to me.
So good for you, Wendy, beating back the bullies!

 

I have to wonder how long it will take for me to regret this decision. At best I can hope for benign neglect.