What A Drag It Is Getting Old

Here is where I am at 47. I’ve worn glasses since 6th or 7th grade, and in recent years to see small text, I either need to take off my glasses or if I'm wearing contacts, put on a pair of reading glasses. Well, I am now the owner of a new pair of glasses with "progressive lenses." It seems to be a fancy way of saying bifocals. 

(I got a haircut since this picture.)

Shortly after Chadwick Boseman passed away in 2020, I asked my doctor at my annual physical if I should get a colonoscopy. With COVID cases high and the recommendation to get a colonoscopy still at 50, the doctor suggested waiting a few years. Last year, he said I should get one. Well, I finally did on Monday. All the stories about the preparation being worse than the procedure are completely true. Per the preparation instructions, I changed my diet on Friday and Saturday, and then Sunday was clear liquids only. I basically "ate" Gatorade and Ginger Ale with some Jello and veggie broth mixed in. Not fulfilling. At 4:00 in the afternoon, I celebrated the Steelers win over the Carolina Panthers by having a bottle of Clenpiq. 

I thought it wasn't bad after the first sip, but as I continued, the worse it tasted. I tried to take a shot of the medication followed by a chaser of Italian Ice, but it didn't help. The aftertaste was just too strong. I had another bottle at 9:00 and somehow it was even worse. And yes, there was a lot of time in the bathroom in the evening and night. 

Fortunately, all of my preparation paid off. The discharge information from the doctor included this line: The quality of the bowel preparation was good.

The entire time at the gastroenterology facility and with the doctor and staff went smoothly. I slept very well during and after the procedure, and the findings were normal. I could share pictures of my colon, but that's probably not necessary. I have no idea what I'm looking at anyway. The recommendation is to repeat a colonoscopy in 10 years for screening purposes. Woo hoo!

Besides the new glasses and colonoscopy, I also recently went to the dermatologist to remove two skin tags and two warts. In the near future, I probably need to go to a periodontist for receding gums and a podiatrist to take a look at a toenail. Yes, this is my life.

Wrist and Blog Updates

As of Friday, I am in this brand new black cast.

Unfortunately, a black and yellow/gold cast was not an option. I will now wear this cast until early March, and then the doctor will remove the two pins currently in my wrist. (I've included the complete medical information below if you're truly interested in the specifics about the procedure.) I'll start physical therapy two days after getting the pins out, but it will still be some time until my wrist is back to normal.

I'm sure that you're all concerned about the status of this blog while I'm on the DL (and my wrist too!). I can still type with one hand, so I plan on continuing to write. However, I'm looking for people who are interested in writing a guest blog post. I'm also hoping to have some interviews since it's much easier to type a few questions and let the responses be the centerpiece of the post. If you're interested in writing a guest post or know someone who would be available for an interview about an interesting topic, please let me know.

Thanks!


Pre and Post-Operative Diagnosis: Volar dislocation, distal ulna, right wrist.

Procedure: Closed reduction and percutaneous pinning of closed volar dislocation, distal ulna, right wrist.