Colonoscopy

I'm starting this 'extention' of my original blog. I figured that was 'part 1' of my battle.
Surgery being the ending point of part 1.

Today, 31st May 2014. I consider Day 1 of part 2.

Yesterday I had a colonoscopy. It wasn't a pleasant experience.

It all starts the day before where your presented with having to take 'prep'.
This consists of starving yourself and taking multiple strong laxatives.
Glamorous huh?
I took 2 Picolax and half litre of Moviprep.... half because I wimped out on the rest! Ick!
Your meant to eat orange jelly but I couldn't stomach anything.
I had no food for 48hours.

I felt so unwell by 11pm. Banging headache due to dehydration. As fast as I was drinking it I was losing it.
It was horrendous.

Woke up at 7.30am ready to head off to the hospital.
We had to pull over on the by pass so I could throw up...it never happened but it came close.

I was incredibly pale, weak and feeling terrible.
My wait out in the waiting room wasn't long and I was taken through.
They took my blood pressure and pulse, which were low so they got me into a gown and onto a bed where I lay for an hour and half waiting my turn.

I slept.

A nurse woke me and told me it was my turn. They pushed me through where I was greeted by my consultant.
He told me he'd look after me and it'd be over in no time.
He asked the nurse to prepare a double dose of sedation, which he administered while telling me to relax, it will be ok.

That stuff is AWESOME. I felt so relaxed, I honestly couldn't have cared less what happened from then on.
He gave me the second dose and a muscle relaxant and he then, uhum... put the camera in.

It was incredibly uncomfortable.
Inflating me with gas to make the way through, he said it was very inflamed and angry.
Watching the screen it seemed surreal to think that, that was my insides on that screen.

Its all a bit foggy, except for the ending of the scope.
As that's where the issues are, I found it so painful.
They told me to hang on, I was doing well, it will be over soon.
Best way to describe it was, it felt like sandpaper.

They then kept asking if I was ok, was I still with them and don't I go fainting on them.
I later found out that was because all my vitals dropped.
I didn't think I felt faint, it just hurt!!

Finished. Instant relief. I don't remember anything then, I must have fallen asleep.

Results;

It was healthy in places but then unhealthy in others.
Blood, pus, mucus and active Crohns were present in patches throughout.
Specifically from the rectum and 6 inches up to the sigmoid colon.

I don't understand how its got so bad so quickly.
Cant help but blame the hospital a bit for not giving me any medication for so long.

It feels daunting not knowing what the future holds and that due to the position of the disease, there is a real possibility of having a permanent ileostomy at some point.

This isn't a problem as such. Having already had one.
It just makes it seem like all that fighting and battle with it all before was a waste of time.
My skin also cant handle stoma bags adhesives for more than a few days.

I should be able to start the AMGEN trial Tuesday 3rd June.

I hope it makes a difference.

I'm scared for my future.

This blog is going to document that.