Colonoscopy Procedure and Results

January 7th, 2016 - The official day of my scheduled colonoscopy, with final answers and results.

As some of you know who've kept up with me via my web site, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts, I've had a colonoscopy and endoscopy scheduled since finding out the results of a relative who was diagnosed with colon cancer. Since the discovery of the relative's diagnosis, I have been on a personal mission to get the procedure done myself, and finally have a baseline of where I stand. Being a hemophiliac living with HIV, compounded with over thirty years of Hepatitis C (now cured), I was in the high risk category for digestive disease.

I would honestly have to say the most difficult part of this procedure is definitely the procedure prep the day before. Drinking the Golytely solution and not having any solid food, on top of taking diarrhetic pills will make you weak for sure. I powered through January 6th, and kept on my regimen of HIV medications despite only drinking beef broth and Jello. If I can do it, so can you! Let's just say that day was one not to remember.

Click image for larger version of pathology report.

The procedure itself was fast. I checked in to the hospital, and within minutes was in the back, undressing, getting hooked up to IV's and talking with nurses and my anesthesiologist. No more than thirty minutes later, I was wheeled in the back where I met Dr. Baskar, who performed both procedures. My confidence in him grew even more as he asked yet again, "Did you take your factor VIII?" There was an entire hematology checklist I had to follow before, during and after the procedures.

Luckily, I am happy to report I have no colon or bowel disease of any kind. Not even a polyp. The upper endoscopy showed mild gastritis aka GERD, but nothing alarming.  I am totally relieved by the results, and can now take a huge sigh of relief in knowing the final results.

In closing, this journey was no where near as difficult to accomplish as I had initially thought it would be. I was able to get the referrals to the specialists, visit the specialist, schedule the procedures and then have them done all within a two month window. If I can do this, than there's just no excuse or reason why you can't either. Get check out, get a colonoscopy and get the results you need to know about, especially if you have a family history of digestive disease.

Next up for me, getting my joints repaired, starting with the ankles first. Before 2020, I hope to be the bionic man.