But as I think about my own experience, I do understand why many people will put off their first colonoscopy. Even with my jobs that are more flexible and forgiving than jobs I've had in the past, the prep work takes some consideration, more so than, say, a mammogram. There's the liquid fast and the medications to clear out the system. I feel lucky that I got to have pills instead of the liquid medication. My spouse had an even more involved prep time that took the better part of a week. And for the procedure itself, it requires a day off, since the patient can't drive afterward.
I've been talking about health care concerns with a friend who is having a hip replaced. She is single, so finding the people to help her afterward is tricky. She resents the notion that we all have family networks to help. I resent the idea that family networks can pitch in the way we are expected to. Actually, let me be more clear--I resent the capitalist system that makes all of this so hard.
The process itself hasn't been as hard for me as a patient as I expected. I was dreading the liquid fast yesterday even more than the clearing out of the system. I can get irritable when I'm hungry or headachy. And I haven't been allowed to have anything for headaches for a week now (Tylenol is allowed, but Tylenol has never touched any pain I've ever had, so I'm not risking liver or kidney damage).
But the fast wasn't bad. I kept myself busy and drank lots of liquids and I feel O.K. this morning. That said, I'm looking forward to being done with this--and glad that I'm not juggling work and family demands on top of everything else.
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