Notes from Steve
I had my colonoscopy last Monday. It was 12 years late. “Steve!” – I know, but the thought of it somewhat horrified me. Here’s the skinny - it was not horrible. Heather H* (OR nurse with Dr. Adams) said I should be a poster child for colonoscopies because I did so well. I immediately thought, “Does that mean I have to do them more often?” because that’s not happening. I mean, it was fine and all, but not more often than necessary.
My friend MaryLou from my days in New Hampshire told me about a book she was reading. It said something about how we mentally elevate normal situations to “walking on a 2x4 between two high-rise buildings instead of walking on the 2x4 on the ground. You can still fall off the board, but you’ll probably hurt yourself less.” Basically, we tend to create mountains out of molehills. And - ignorance is not bliss, at least for me. Ignorance is that seed in the back of my mind growing and twisting into something big and scary. It’s the dirty dishes in the sink going moldy or the stack of mail that includes bills that need to be paid … just do the “thing” (is what I’m trying to tell myself).
Events and responsibilities pop up in life**. Stuff we don’t want to do but need to do. Our (my) tendency is to push against and complain or not do them (Steve: “do them anyway”). For me, it takes the seed out of the back of the mind and keeps it from growing. And trust me - you’ll feel a lot better knowing.
*Heather is my surgical spirit guide - she’s been with me every time I’ve been in a surgical procedure (only one other time, in 2014 for my bariatric sleeve) and she told me right before I went under - according to our Chief Medical Officer who was in the OR as well – she said - “Steve, enjoy your new life” … wow …. All the staff was incredible this week; but I was especially happy to see Heather; she made it very familiar for me.
**dentist, physicals, weight management, emptying the dishwasher, folding the laundry, cleaning the garage, paying bills, saying hi, colonoscopies … etc. …
