Friday, June 14, 2024

Still Not Dying


That was the view from the window of the endoscopy unit yesterday. It looks kind of magical, with those rooftops and spires beyond the trees. But isn't that a gloomy sky? I had several conversations yesterday with people whose first impulse was to complain about our wet and chilly spring. It's 55º F (or 12.7º C) this morning as I write.

Today's the last day of school, when we have our annual luncheon with speeches for the leavers and that kind of thing. Normally it's mighty warm -- I've been known to wear shorts and short-sleeved shirts in past years -- and we prop the doors of the gym open for more air. But this year, I'm thinking not! In fact yesterday I wore a sweater and a jacket to the hospital.

So, yes, my colonoscopy went fine. The doctor found four polyps which he removed, and he said they didn't look dangerous. Interestingly, they were all in the ascending colon, the part nearest the appendix, which is not usually where cancers develop. The transverse and sigmoid segments of my colon were clean. He took a few random tissue samples for biopsy to try to see why my calprotectin levels were abnormally high on my recent blood tests. I'll get all those lab results right before we leave for Argentina and Brazil at the end of the month.

So here's what I think all this means. I think the root cause of all my discomfort and inflammation is too much stomach acid, exacerbated -- as much as I hate to admit it -- by alcohol and coffee. I think it has affected my lungs, giving me a chronic cough and the slightly thickened airways (bronchiectasis) we've seen on past CT scans. I think it flares up into acute gastritis at certain times, like when I fly to L.A., forget my stomach medication and drink a lot of martinis, and then takes a while to settle down. I suspect the calprotectin was elevated because of the gastritis.

And of course in my mind I turn all of that into cancer, because, well, I'm crazy.

I have one more medical adventure, and that is an ultrasound on Sunday (!). The doctors want to take a closer look at my spleen, which has been shown by several scans to have some sort of cyst or bump on it. It was the only abnormality flagged on my CT scan from early May -- they called it a hemangioma, a benign growth of extra blood vessels, like a birthmark -- but the bottom line is no one's quite sure what it is. I'm not too concerned because primary cancer of the spleen is rare and everyone seems pretty certain it's benign, but it might still need attention. Such growths usually don't cause symptoms but I suppose I might be feeling it now and then. Who knows.

Isn't this fun? Talking about my spleen?


I spent yesterday morning partly in the garden, when we had a brief period of sun, and partly on the couch. I even got some things done around the house, like vacuuming and laundry. I felt pretty darn productive considering all that was going on with my abdomen!

I did indeed have beef broth for lunch, and I was actually surprised that I felt so normal. I can see why some people like to fast. It was kind of liberating not having to think about food. Maybe I'll make it a habit! (Probably not.)


As you can see, there's still lots happening in the garden, despite the chilly weather. The pink Asiatic lily is just opening, and that foxglove (above) is possibly my favorite out of all of them. If I save any foxglove seeds it will be those.

The actual process of the colonoscopy didn't begin until 4 p.m., but I had to be at the clinic by 3:30. I had a very chatty Italian nurse named Marta who told me all about her most recent pizza delivery in which apparently the drivers ate one of her two pizzas, and then insisted the restaurant had only sent one. "I'm never getting takeaway again," she declared. I told her I'd never heard of such a thing, but come to think of it, Dave's tortilla chips didn't arrive from Chipotle last night. Hmmm...

26 comments:

  1. Good news about the colonoscopy.
    That lily is beautiful. I have only had 2 foxgloves this year, both the same colour as yours.

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  2. I don't think I've ever seen foxgloves here, the name of this flower is also new to me.
    Looks like an interesting and adventurous summer awaits you. have a nice time.

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  3. Good medical news.. understanding it all helps greatly.

    That foxglove's depth of colour is something.. definitely worth saving seeds from that one.

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  4. The garden shots are very well rendered in image quality. Good news on the scope.

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  5. Well, that's a good result, as most colonoscopies seem to be. Obviously not all.

    Alcohol and coffee might cause gastritis? I could be in trouble then.

    Why can't people who live near food places go and pick up their meals? Food delivery has become weird, where I see someone in our building order McDonald's food from across the road and have it delivered.

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  6. Although there will be other chapters ahead - as in anybody's health story - at least you appear to have got through the colonoscopy episode with your optimism intact. This is good news.

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  7. I wonder how Marta knows the drivers ate one of her pizzas. I might lose sleep over that (or might not). Great news about the colonoscopy. You’re one of many people who immediately think “cancer.” I wouldn’t be surprised if changes in your eating and drinking habits are all that’s needed... and I’m so sorry you might have to consider that. Did I ever tell you about the time SG had “skin cancer”? A strange something on his forearm had him seriously concerned -- until he touched it and realized it was a bit of potato chip.

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  8. Good news on the Colon Front.
    I, too, sometimes go from positivity to wack-a-doo thoughts and I don't know why; when Carlos worked in Columbia, he'd call when he was leaving and I knew he'd be home in about an hour. As soon as the clocked one minute beyond an hour my mind went to car accident, laying on the side of the road, etc.
    Crazy.

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  9. So glad you’re not dying!
    But you’re not alone in falling down those mental rabbit holes. I was sure I was heading to another round of pancreatitis until my doctor told me it was just gastric unhappiness.

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  10. Good news about the scan. And when I had similar issues with inflammation, side effects of a medication, my doctor stopped the med and I completely quit coffee and prosecco. Once it all calmed down, with those antacid things, I never had another bit of trouble. Prosecco wasn't worth it! Coughing gone, heartburn gone. You might try it.

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  11. I am so relieved. I know you are too.
    My theory is that you put your stress in your belly.
    Thank you for the beautiful flowers this morning.

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  12. Good medical test results are always welcome. My holistic MD recommends DGL (licorice root extract) by Natural Factors (available at Amazon) for reducing high acid levels and this works well for me. The color of the foxglove and lily is breathtaking. Yay! School is out!

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  13. A decrease in coffee and alcohol would help a lot, of course that's easy for me to say, I don't drink coffee and rarely drink alcohol:)

    Take your stomach meds, they will help reduce the reflux. I have that same cough, irritated esophagus. Mostly though, I'm glad they didn't find anything bad.

    You're not alone, worrying that you have cancer, everybody worries about that. Love that foxglove!

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  14. I guess I'm not likely to suffer your fate since I don't drink coffee at all and I can count the number of alcoholic drinks I consumer per year on the fingers of one hand. I hope they are able to figure everything out and get your gut dialed in back to normal.

    I've heard lots of complaints about not getting what was ordered through food intermediaries like Grub Hub and the like. Thus, when we get take away, I always go and pick it up myself. I can't recall the last time the restaurant forgot to send what was ordered.

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  15. I'm glad your colonoscopy went well. My brother-in-law's colonoscopy went well, too! What a relief!
    Our family medical histories do affect us. My Dad had Alzheimer's and my Mom suffered from anxiety so my siblings and I are often anxious about Alzheimer's! A little bit of each and our wacky sense of humor. ;)

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  16. I dislike colonoscopies The preparation is nasty. There I am. One of those people you don't want to talk to when in for a colonoscopy. Good that everything looks fine for your age. Just think when you're my age how wrinkly and lumpy all the stuff inside you looks.

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  17. I'm glad you're not dying! I think there are MANY of us who always jump to the worst possible scenario. I find it interesting how you've already delved into the intricacies of the spleen. Worst case, I'm pretty sure you can live without one. 😉

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  18. Good news about the test. I get a touch of gastritis every now and then and I'm pretty certain it is brought on by wine and tea. I take an acid reducer about once a week to try to head that off. You will be traveling to the capital of meat and wine when you go to Argentina. Keep that in mind. You will have some of the best beef you've ever tasted and the Malbec is pretty darn good too.
    That view out the window is magical. But then, you live in a magical city (in my book at least).
    Beautiful blooms!

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  19. Yay! You are not the least bit crazy - it's normal to worry about cancer in today's world.

    That foxglove is glorious!

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  20. you're colon and spleen, my heart and brain only I don't even have any pictures of pretty flowers.

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  21. My excellent comment once again failed to pierce your nuclear defences.

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  22. I'm happy about the colonoscopy but sad about your very logical rationale for the health issues. Coffee would be hard for me to give up, alcohol less so although I do like a relaxing beer every now and then. It would be difficult to know I couldn't/shouldn't have one than actually not having one if that makes sense. That does seem chilly; we're at 65 with rain coming in. Then we'll be up into the mid-70s. For me, it's nearly perfect weather. :) I love not having to water.

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  23. Glad to hear you're not dying! I've gotten quite fond of your blog!;)

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  24. Frances: I think this is closest in color to the wild-type foxgloves. I don't know why all my others are so pale.

    Yael: Yeah, I'm not sure a foxglove would prosper in Israel. They tend to like cool, damp climates.

    GZ: Isn't it amazing? I think I will scatter those seeds for sure.

    Roentare: Thanks! I took the lily with my big camera (Canon Mark III) and the foxglove with my iPhone!

    Andrew: I agree. I would always much rather go to the store, but Dave is big on delivery.

    YP: Well, yeah. SOMETHING is going to get me eventually!

    Mitchell: OMG, that potato chip story is hilarious. I also wondered how Marta knew the drivers had eaten her pizza. Maybe they had sauce on their faces?

    Bob: I guess it's natural to worry, but yeah, one can go too far!

    Marty: Why are stomachs so dodgy as we get older? It's annoying.

    Boud: I doubt I'll cut anything out entirely, but it certainly won't hurt to moderate. The Buddhist approach!

    Ms Moon: That is a good theory. I don't usually have headaches or other obvious physical signs of stress, so it's probably true.

    Susan: Thanks for the advice re licorice root! Does licorice candy work too? :)

    Pixie: I usually am very good about taking my stomach med. I just forgot it when we went to California and thought I could get by. I was wrong!

    Ed: Yeah, picking it up does give more customer control -- but it defies the purpose of take-away, which is not having to leave your house!

    Ellen D: So glad things went well for your BIL! I like your family's sense of humor. :)

    Red: Ha! Well, as long as the doctors can make out what's what, that's the important thing!

    Kelly: Yeah, exactly! Just take that sucker out!

    Sharon: Yeah, I'm mindful of the fact that Argentina will be a challenge for my stomach! But we'll make it work!

    Bug: I'm encouraged to see that it's a common worry among a lot of us!

    Ellen: As Roseann Rosannadanna used to say, "It just goes ta show ya. It's always somethin'!"

    YP: I found it and retrieved it!

    Margaret: Yes, I know what you mean. Being told you can't have something just makes you want it, if you're anything like me!

    Jim: Whew!

    Debby: Ha! Well, I'm glad I'm appreciated. :)

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  25. I NEVER trust food delivery drivers anymore, after seeing a news segment where a driver was seen with the pizza box open and eating a bit of this topping, a bit of that topping etc and a similar one caught on a home security camera where the man ate fries while waiting for the door to be opened.
    The ascending colon is where my mum's cancer began.
    For the gastritis thing, try cutting back on the wine and coffe, also take some form of antacid soon after eating and see if that helps. An irritated oesphagus (spelling?) can cause a chronic cough.

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