Normal is Good

I'm back watching TV, recovering from the colonoscopy today. Everything looks good. My doctor even scoped up to the small intestine to check and took tissue samples in case something microscopic (colitis) might be causing an infection. Before the procedure, Dr. Brown-Chang sat down and explained  (with her exquisite British accent) that the chance of us finding anything is slim. She said that my tumor marker elevation is also small. Most doctors would not think twice of the .5 increase over normal, but oncologists tend to be overly concerned about blood tests. She admitted that sometimes doctors find something, but if today's scope revealed nothing (which it most likely did), then we should consider that this might be my normal marker level. She's seen patients undergoing excessive biopsies and even surgeries because of just a marker. To Dr. Kohn's defense, she was on a watching pattern for 7 months until I mentioned slight changes in my bowels, and at that point, because it was related to the GI, decided it was enough of a symptom to explore further. Walt has been skeptical of the need of this procedure all along. I went along with it because I'd rather for overkill than wish we had caught something earlier. Dr. Brown-Chang said she would send a letter if the tissue samples were negative or call if she found something, but that I'll probably not need to come back for 10 years. I told her I'd have Dr. Kohn call her if she wants to do this again. She thought it was a grand idea.

After not having any solid food since Sunday night, I naturally was hungry as we left the office. Walt agreed to go to Trader Joes where I picked up tart cherry juice, a salad, popcorn and some dark-chocolate covered almonds. It was a lovely lunch. I've been watching tv/dozing for the rest of the day. The nurse warned me that I might not be thinking clearly today because of the sedative given to me, so tomorrow I'll check to see if any of this makes sense.

I am very thankful and at peace today. No more doctor appointments until September 11th, when I see my endocrinologist about my thyroid.