Colonoscopy

Well, I had my colonoscopy yesterday. Let me tell you how they do colonoscopies here. They aren't too much different than the States, except for one minor detail ... you are fully awake, able to see what's going on, and feel the pain. Yes, that made this whole event quite exciting.

Kathy went with me to my appointment because we weren't sure how drugged I would be when I came out of the office. We got there, found the doctor's office (thanks to Kathy ... me being the space cadet that I was that day left ALL the information at home ... I didn't even know the doctor's name ... smart, huh?), and checked in. They called me back, had me put on the very comfortable, open back hospital gown (gosh, I love those), and had me lay on the bed. I was looking around the room, intrigued by the differences between here and the States. The room was quite warm, not like the typical operating or testing room in the States. The nurse put an IV in my hand, but instead of attaching it to a bag on a pole, she just attached a syringe. She told me, in Spanish, of course, that this would make me sleepy. Well, it's more like she acted out 'sleepy', but I got the idea. The doctor came in and talked to me (in English!!), telling me that he would be back when the medicine had kicked in. I could feel the medicine as it started to take effect and I started to fall asleep. But then they started the procedure and I got to watch the whole thing on the TV screen. I was definitely groggy because I don't remember everything that was said to me (though I do remember them talking to me and me asking questions ... it's a homeschool moment even when I'm drugged up and having a colonoscopy! Mom would be so proud!). I saw (and felt!) as the camera moved through my colon. It was pretty cool to see (not fun to feel, but can't have it all, I guess).

When the test was over, they rolled me into the 'recovery' room, which was really more of a passage between two rooms. It really had the feel of privacy to it, as the nurses passed through to the office and back. (Yep, love Peru!) As I layed there, Kathy came in and sat with me, and I mentioned yet again that I was STARVING! I guess I should've mentioned this earlier ... I hadn't been allowed to eat since midnight the day before ... that means, I hadn't eaten since Tuesday night and the colonoscopy was Thursday at 11am. I WAS HUNGRY! So, Kathy whipped out a bag of M&Ms and handed them to me. I was laying on the bed, still feeling groggy, snacking on M&Ms when the nurse walked in, saw the candy, shook her head and just sort of smiled. She didn't try to stop it or anything. That's my kind of recovery room!! (Way to go Kathy ... those M&Ms were a life saver!) She asked me to sit up and see if I felt dizzy. My head sort of spun when I sat up, so she had me lay down for a little while longer. Once I finally got up and got dressed, Kathy and I had to walk the specimens that he removed from my insides over to the lab for testing. I can honestly say it was a first having to walk my own innards to the lab. :-)

After we finished up with everything at the hospital, we headed to Chili's to meet up with our team for lunch and I enjoyed a nice, juicy BBQ Bacon Burger. But Sandi, that's not on your diet! That's right it's not ... but I figured after NOT eating for over 36 hours, a hamburger is just what I needed. (Hopefully my doctor doesn't read this blog ... I promise I'm back to the diet now!)

We don't have results from the colonoscopy yet. The doctor that performed it said there were two places where things did not look normal. Those are the places he took samples from and we are now just waiting to find out what exactly "not normal" means.

During our team meeting today, I was once again reminded of the verse that seems to be coming up so much during my time here.

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

"9But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong."

As I was considering the frustrations of being sick and the frustrations of waiting to find out what might be wrong with me, I was reminded that I need to delight and boast in my weaknesses, for in this Christ's power may rest on me and then I will be strong. That's not really the first thing that comes to mind for me when I think about being sick. I tend to think more along the lines of 'man, this is annoying', 'gosh, I hate bland food', and 'why does something have to be 'not normal'?' But then I remember that I am called to rejoice in even these things because then will I be made strong.

So this is me rejoicing ... I know God is big and going to do great things even through me being sick. And, one day, I'm pretty sure I'll be telling my grandkids about Peru and God's faithfulness ... and how cool it was that I got to watch my own colonoscopy on a video screen. :-)