You Want Me to WHAT??

I had a colonoscopy today, just for the sheer raw fun of it, but it confirmed my decision not to put Betty through it. The test is nothing--it's the day before, when you can't eat real food all day, and the evening before, when you have to drink two liters of weird (though clear, thank God) liquid and take pills that make you run to the bathroom every 20 minutes all night.

Betty had an upper GI, and they also want to do a colonoscopy, but I'm saying HELL NO. She doesn't have enough symptoms to put any of us through that. I could barely handle it, and I'm fairly lucid and 40+ years younger.

To Test or Not to Test, That is the Question

MIL's doctor wants her to have an upper GI test and a colonoscopy to find out why she continues to have nausea, in spite of losing her gall bladder (and gall stones.) The upper test is scheduled for next week, and the wonderful Kim will take her, which is great, but the colonoscopy people don't want to do the test unless it's absolutely necessary, because there's risk for a person her age (85).

So I think I'll have them look at the results of the first test before deciding whether we need to do the second one. Maybe I'll increase her Prilosec, too. That was suggested by the VA.

Her stomach is upset today, but I think it's because she had a milkshake and a huge rootbeer float last night (see www.thecrankycaregiver.blogspot.com) We went out for dinner for my husband's birthday, and Betty wanted to pay, so I let her eat what she wanted... after warning her what would happen if she took her dentures out at the table. She did that last time we went to this restaurant, and I'm sure there are strangers from adjacent tables who are still having nightmares.