Update 2022: Since this was written years ago – the directions I received said NO RED, NO ORANGE. Other articles I read said NO RED, NO ORANGE, NO BLUE, NO PURPLE. So nix the above orange Gatorade and stick with lemon/lime. Also Jell-O – lemon or lime… I couldn’t find popsicles without all the colors you’re not supposed to eat, but I did find lemon Italian Ice. That’ll work! Not sure what the future holds – just follow the directions from your physician – each prep is a little bit different.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. As the CDC says below… if everyone who is 50 years old or older were screened regularly, as many as 60% of deaths from this cancer could be avoided.

Getting a colonoscopy really isn’t a big deal. You have an appointmet and talk to the doctor that will be performing the procedure. He will ask if you’re taking medication (vitamins/supplements included, tell them everything you take) and assorted other questions, then they will schedule an appointment, tell you what you can drink/eat. What your prep will be (there are many variations), what time you can no longer have liquids or anything else… then it’s a quick procedure. Mine was twilight, meaning I wasn’t put all the way under, which is nice because you wake up fast. It’s the best 15 minute sleep of your life! You don’t feel any different, you have no idea you even had it done.

I know. Fun fun. This past year Fred and I both turned 50, we celebrated (woohoo) by getting colonoscopies. Now we’re set for another 10 years. Thank God. For me, the actual prep part of it wasn’t so bad (the part you drink that “makes things happen”) it was NO FOOD the day before. Holy cow. No real solid food. No cheese. No cream in coffee? We work hard to not eat much sugar, we don’t drink soda, so to go from a pretty un-sweet existence to a sugar loaded day creeped me out.  BUT, if I bought the diet stuff, no calories and I could fall over from starvation. Believe me, this was a serious concern, ha ha… Basically, you’re on a liquid diet the day before (check with a doctor, I’m not one, I do not perform colonoscopies or have above average knowledge about them… check. check. check. This post is about what I did (what I was told to do)… and I’m happy to say I’m alive to talk about it!

I basically had jello (made three different kinds… breakfast, lunch and dinner, ugh), Gatorade (or other sports drink) which to me is loaded with sugar and other “stuff”, but it’s important to stay hydrated. If you don’t you get dehydrated which leaves to horrible side affects. So DRINK. DRINK. DRINK. (And not alcohol…). Clear, non pulp juices like white grape and apple are also options, for soda I opted for ginger ale in case I got nauseous from no food (I think that’s what I drank towards the end of the day). Hot tea (or coffee, but with no cream, no powdered cream, etc.). Chicken Boullion, but NOT the brand I bought here. I didn’t drink it, but when it came time for Fred’s colonoscopy prep day, he had to work, had a big meeting. Fun times. So I packed him his lunch (oh, how I felt for him that day), he called me and asked if it was OK if there were “green things” in the bouillon… AHHH, NO GREEN THINGS! While we’re on the topic of color NO RED, NO PINK, NO PURPLE of any kind in any form… it shows up like somethings wrong in your colon, and you don’t want to repeat this for at least 10 years. Popsicles were another thing you could eat, but NOT FRUIT POPS (pulp). So you have to eat the sugar laden ones, but none with RED, PINK or PURPLE! I was getting worried that mixing my Jello (lemon, lime, and orange would some how mix together, kind of like mixing paint, and turn red/pink/purple, ha… I was fine).

Fred’s lunch… heavy sigh… Again… NOT THIS BRAND OF BOULLION… it has “green stuff” (flavoring) in it. I was quite happy how I packed his Jello, hee…

Here is some valuable information from CDC.GOV

Catch you back here tomorrow!