Final Appointment

Today was the final consultation with the surgeon before the first step. We verified the results from the bowel check and were relieved to see no signs of Crohn's. We went through the actual surgical steps again and I asked a slew of questions, some of which he would get a chuckle out of. [I found being prepared and having a list of questions ready for rapid fire allowed me to cover my concerns and avoid the "Oh, I wanted to ask..." moments.]

As I am in fairly good health, at least not dealing with any UC symptoms other than the dysplasia, the surgeons are expecting a fairly straight-forward recovery. I am strong, active, and all signs look good. This definitely helps my nervousness and mood going into the surgery. I can't say I'm terribly nervous, more anxious. What lays on the other side, I'm not sure, but this is the day I've been preparing for mentally for almost two decades: Let's hope I didn't fool myself on this one.

Okay, we need to lay out our plans on what to eat before surgery, as we know there's going to be some limits afterward. [Little did I know how long that would last!] Spicy chicken, check. Dunkin Donuts, check. Fast food, check. Okay, got all the bases covered! Considering I gave up trying to put on muscle a few months ago and just went for pure poundage, I've successfully added a few pounds to make it through any "lean" periods. [I would later find it's easier to lose than it is to gain with this surgery.]

The preparation for the surgery is the same for a colonoscopy: Drink, starve, and poop for an entire day before. GoLytely, Phosphosoda: I won't miss you for a single minute. Thankfully, this is where our paths separate. I'm not saying it's worth having your colon removed to not have to do a yearly scope and prep, but if you're having it removed anyway, it's surely a plus! Got my gatorade and my baby wipes: Bring it on!