Slow to update.
This morning Heff, our hamster, rolled around in his exercise ball as is usual for every morning. After he was done running, we made the point to pick him up, pet him, and give him a treat. Today we gave him a large floret of broccoli and you could literally hear him squealing with delight. I kid you not! It was absolutely adorable. He is such a good and mild tempered hamster. When we first got him he might have been abused, or at least not treated with the up-most care, because he was terrified of humans and being held. He was more scared than any hamster we've had before (and I have the bite marks to prove it!). We had to fondle his bedding so that our hands smelled of him, and then have him practice getting treats from the palms of our hands so he could get use to the feeling. It took a long time, but now he trust us more than ever. He even lets us rub him under his chin! He is a special little guy.
I've been super behind on updating my journal, but at the end of January I had my colonoscopy and endoscopy in hopes to determine what is wrong with my stomach. I was very nervous of what they might find, and even more nervous of what they might not find. I kept circling around what the GI doctor said to me about how if they don't find anything that it might just be all in my head. How do you stop yourself from doing something that you're doing subconsciously? "You know that thing you're doing that you don't know you're doing? Stop it." I was scared that this would be my fate, and I would be stuck in the nearly impossible situation of altering my subconscious.
I was also nervous about what I heard about the prep. So much so, that when someone recommended me to do the liquid only diet for two days instead of the recommended one day to minimize the prep I jumped on it. It did help, so overall I would say getting a colonoscopy is a cinch. Honestly the prep was mild compared to my usual upset stomach. The most uncomfortable aspect was afterwards when I was feeling the effects of having trapped gas throughout my system.
The results? I haven't officially talked to my GI doctor yet for the follow-up, but my biopsies came back normal and visual inspection from the doctor who was performing the colonoscopy said that everything looked normal. There was an area that was inflamed, but the doctor performing the test thought that maybe it was due to bowel prep. She didn't know though that I had two separate blood tests that reported high inflammation markers, so my GI physician has ordered a CT scan to determine the location of the inflammation. So, maybe the inflammation is something? But it could be nothing. I won't know for awhile yet.
They did discovered and removed a benign adenomatous polyp and recommended to me that I get another colonoscopy in 5 years since they can become cancerous. So, it wont be long until I get to go through this again-- oh joy!
In other news, I visited Dr. Weir and I am now on an anti-anxiety/anti-depressants. My anxiety is my main emotional problem, and I find it hard to want to be engaged with other people. The medicine has been helping, and I am already feeling more outgoing. I haven't actually felt this good in a long time, possibly since the golden years of junior high. I'm not 100% positive that my dosage is correct, but a vast improvement so far. The main drawback is that I can't drink at all on it. My previous medications to treat my depression and anxiety just amplified the effects of being inebriated, which made me a super lightweight, but these make me want to fall asleep. Apparently, I had a half glass of wine with dinner which conked me out and Paul was shaking me, trying to wake me up. Thankfully I was at home, and not at some party. The advisory information with my medication simply states that, "this medication may cause drowsiness, alcohol may amply this side effect". Apparently it does more than just amply drowsiness for me, so sober living it is for me. Usually it's not much of a problem, since I'm not much of a drinker, but I did feel a bit left out when my friend had a birthday party this last Sunday. Oh well. Having me passed out at the party probably wouldn't be that much fun anyways.
I've been super behind on updating my journal, but at the end of January I had my colonoscopy and endoscopy in hopes to determine what is wrong with my stomach. I was very nervous of what they might find, and even more nervous of what they might not find. I kept circling around what the GI doctor said to me about how if they don't find anything that it might just be all in my head. How do you stop yourself from doing something that you're doing subconsciously? "You know that thing you're doing that you don't know you're doing? Stop it." I was scared that this would be my fate, and I would be stuck in the nearly impossible situation of altering my subconscious.
I was also nervous about what I heard about the prep. So much so, that when someone recommended me to do the liquid only diet for two days instead of the recommended one day to minimize the prep I jumped on it. It did help, so overall I would say getting a colonoscopy is a cinch. Honestly the prep was mild compared to my usual upset stomach. The most uncomfortable aspect was afterwards when I was feeling the effects of having trapped gas throughout my system.
The results? I haven't officially talked to my GI doctor yet for the follow-up, but my biopsies came back normal and visual inspection from the doctor who was performing the colonoscopy said that everything looked normal. There was an area that was inflamed, but the doctor performing the test thought that maybe it was due to bowel prep. She didn't know though that I had two separate blood tests that reported high inflammation markers, so my GI physician has ordered a CT scan to determine the location of the inflammation. So, maybe the inflammation is something? But it could be nothing. I won't know for awhile yet.
They did discovered and removed a benign adenomatous polyp and recommended to me that I get another colonoscopy in 5 years since they can become cancerous. So, it wont be long until I get to go through this again-- oh joy!
In other news, I visited Dr. Weir and I am now on an anti-anxiety/anti-depressants. My anxiety is my main emotional problem, and I find it hard to want to be engaged with other people. The medicine has been helping, and I am already feeling more outgoing. I haven't actually felt this good in a long time, possibly since the golden years of junior high. I'm not 100% positive that my dosage is correct, but a vast improvement so far. The main drawback is that I can't drink at all on it. My previous medications to treat my depression and anxiety just amplified the effects of being inebriated, which made me a super lightweight, but these make me want to fall asleep. Apparently, I had a half glass of wine with dinner which conked me out and Paul was shaking me, trying to wake me up. Thankfully I was at home, and not at some party. The advisory information with my medication simply states that, "this medication may cause drowsiness, alcohol may amply this side effect". Apparently it does more than just amply drowsiness for me, so sober living it is for me. Usually it's not much of a problem, since I'm not much of a drinker, but I did feel a bit left out when my friend had a birthday party this last Sunday. Oh well. Having me passed out at the party probably wouldn't be that much fun anyways.