My 'confinement' has ended...thank goodness!

The 'powder room' door.

One of the many challenges of getting on in age is making sure - very very sure - you keep your health.  Let's face it, when you're in your 20s or 30s it seems like you'll live forever.  But in your 60s you can hope you have at least another 20 or 30 years - at least - to go.  So you better make sure they are good ones.

This means, regardless of being a man or woman, there are many tests that one must endure on a regular basis.  Clearly I know there is much that has to be poked and/or prodded as we go through our adulthood - especially being a woman - but the tests as you get older become less about gender and more about mechanics.

Health was at the top of my mind when I agreed to the latest invasive test - a colonoscopy - and the doctor added a gastroscopy for good measure.  One end and then the other so to speak.   I've had several friends go through the same thing which meant I knew what I was in for.  I was warned to not plan to go anywhere the day before or the morning of the test....due to the evacuation effect of the pre-op stuff.  So, I confined myself to the house all day Sunday and Monday.  To all and anyone who may go through this in the future my advice is to DO THE SAME!

Now that it's Tuesday I can happily say it is all over.  The results were good, amazing really.  After 62 years - with 30 of those lived and partied rather hard - there were no polyps!  Polyps are the things that can turn to bowel cancer.  As I said to my friend Steph, "nothing spoils the look of your jeans like a colostomy bag!".

On the other hand - or other end - the doctor did find a few things to investigate with biopsies.  I'm not quite sure what they are because she came around to talk to me while I was still in recovery.  And she told me - while I was still pretty groggy from the anaesthetic that it could be blah/blah/blah - which I either didn't understand or can't remember - and may need treatment or medication depending if it was blah/blah/blah. So, nothing to see here until I see the doctor again next Tuesday.  Again, I think my life in my 20s, 30s and 40s may have contributed to inconsistencies.  I used to be about 10kg overweight, drink way too much and I ate badly...along with a few other things.  But, since turning 50 and then on into early 60s I've calmed down A LOT and find life well worth living without the accoutrements of youth or corporate life.

Health is up to us all whether we like it or not...Take care of yourself!