After a recent Emergency Room visit (at the ER I work in, no less) I ended up having my GI tract scoped again. This was preceded by the most horrific bowel prep imaginable. Last time around, it was not so bad—the previous clinic just had me take MiraLax . But this time, the prep consisted of a nasty, bitter, gag-inducing liquid that I was instructed to mix with water. If any of you have ever had a colonoscopy or EGD, you may understand. If not... consider yourself lucky. My innocent self did not have the good sense to try mixing the stuff with a flavored drink the first time around, and boy was that just a wretched experience. I’m now referring to the liquid as “GI Drano”.

I was hoping and praying that something might’ve been found. Immediately after the procedure, the doctor told me that they did discover random losses of vascularity throughout my bowel (in simple terms, the veins were no longer visible) and slight nodularies (or bumps) along with some varying redness. They took some biopsies and said they would call with the results.

I finally got ahold of the nurse today, who told me that my results were all negative. She mentioned something about hyperplasia, but she said that unless my condition worsens, I should be fine to continue my current course. Hyperplasia is “the enlargement of an organ or tissue caused by an increase in the reproduction rate of its cells”, so naturally I am a little concerned, but many of the doctors I work with highly recommended my specialist, so I will try not to worry too much.

So I suppose next on my list of self-health-care is to find a new primary care doctor up here in Ogden, since my previous one is now an hour away. I see a new rheumatologist at my hospital later this month, so hopefully that will all go smoothly as well. My hands and elbows have been stiff and hurting more than usual as of late, and I’m hoping it is just due to the current cold spell.