So after being moved upstairs on a ward in my own room and finally my own bathroom I felt a little more relaxed. It was definitely having my own bathroom that mad me feel more at ease. That night I spoke to a few friends on the phone and text my auntie, looked at some more photos of my beautiful cousin Kel and finally fell to sleep after having my vitals checked.

Friday morning came round and I was told that I would be having my MRI at 4.00pm so I had the whole day to wait. My drip was removed that morning after finishing it and more blood was taken again, then late morning I received a visit from my consultant. He said that my EMG test had come back ok but during my CT scan when the dye was put in it showed something wrong with my bowel. He said that he was sending a gastroenterologist to see me today to discuss possible causes. I was eating a little lunch when a doctor came in my room, he was the gastroenterologist, he very was nice and caring. He said that he would need to carry out a Colonoscopy and take biopsies to determine was was wrong with my bowel. He asked me about my bowel movements, I told him not normal day to day before being poorly. He said mine were not normal, I didn’t know this as I have had tummy issues all my life really especially since being diagnosed when I was 20 Years old with endometriosis so assumed it was to do with that. Also the pain I get again I just put it down to my endometriosis! He did not seem to think so, he had a junior doctor with him and he asked me to turn on my side he needed to see if he could feel anything and then stuck his finger up my bum! I could of just hid under the cover and cried of embarrassment, especially when he said to the junior doctor, If you look here as he was shoving his finger up my ares hole! Anyway when it was finished I just tried to be funny and said I have no idea how you do this job and he said it is a great dinner party icebreaker.

He said that the colonoscopy would be on Monday and it was only Friday, my eyes started to fill up and he asked if I was ok, I said that I just wanted to be home with my family as my cousin had died and also my youngest daughter keeps crying for me everyday which she was. I think Harriet was just so worried about me being in hospital and never coming out again. She is an emotional little bunny.

That was that and he said that I would be given some kind of drink the night before the procedure to clear me out, sounded disgusting. So I called my husband and cried about having to stay in longer and over the weekend. He called his cousin who lived in London and asked him to drop me some treats in to cheer me up.

4pm came around and I was taken to my MRI, when I got there I was told that the MRI would take about 1 hour and 40 mins, I nearly fell over. I literally thought it would be 15/20 mins, I asked why so long and the lady said it was because they were doing a brain MRI and then a full spinal MRI and that was the reason it takes so long. I did not enjoy it, I have had an MRI before but it was about 20 mins long and was fine. This MRI I was so uncomfortable being on my back on a hard base then I kept thinking I couldn’t breathe properly, I am not claustrophobic but I think I was just panicking and having the face mask on was not helping. I was in pain just lying there for so long. It actually took nearly 2 hours as I moved twice during it and a few bits had to be done again. When I got back to my room, I saw a bag if goodies that Andys cousin had dropped off for me and thought well at least I could watch a bit of TV that evening and have some chocolate. Chocolate is my go to treat and makes me happy.

Then my dinner arrived moments later, it was a jacket potato but it was horrible so only ate a little bit but thinking oh well I have some chocolate to eat and a bag of crisps. I was completely wrong, the nurse came in with a massive jug saying MOVIPREP, she said that they had moved my Colonoscopy forward to tomorrow and I was now not allowed to eat anything else and I could drink water and I just needed to drink this jug of MOVIPREP within 2 hours. This is what would clear me out ready for tomorrow and I would have another jug of MOVIPREP at 6am tomorrow morning and my procedure was at 12pm. I was absolutely gutted about my chocolate and crisps, and when I took my first sip of MOVIPREP I nearly threw up it was disgusting. I don’t know how but I managed to drink it all but it took me about 3 hours, I held my nose to drink most of it.

I did not sleep much that night as I just kept needing the toilet, I assumed that was good and the MOVIPREP was working. When I was finally asleep for a few hours the nurse came in to wake me up again at 6am with another MOVIPREP jug to drink and she needed to take more bloods. I didn’t get through the whole jug of MOVIPREP this time, I was gagging even when holding my nose to drink it! I was not allowed any breakfast and then at about 9am the nurse came in and said I am sorry they have asked for even more bloods. Every time I had bloods taken in hospital it must of been 8 viles each time, I thought to myself surely there isn’t enough blood in me to give anymore! I had already had bloods taken at 6am. I also have to explain that they always find it hard to find my veins so they never get blood on the first or second attempt its usually on the fourth or fifth attempt so I end up being bruised and like a pin cushion.

12pm came and I was taken for my procedure, a nurse came to the room I was in to set up everything for my consultant and then my consultant appeared. I asked him why the day changed and he said that when he saw how upset I was he came in especially today just to do the colonoscopy so that I could go home later to my family. I thought that was so lovely of him, he went and got gowned up and came back in and gave me sedation drugs through my cannula, I also had oxygen which had to then have my face mask on over the top of it which was really strange. I felt a bit dazed but I was not asleep and I could see the screen where the camera was showing all of my bowels etc. I never felt the camera go up my bum, but later in the procedure I was in pain where he was trying to get the biopsies. I remember saying that really hurts and him apologising and 40 mins later it was over. I was still dazed and just felt a bit drunk and tired. When I got back to my room they delivered my lunch which I ate all of the sandwich and then a yoghurt. The most I had eaten in days and then I slept. I got woken up by a nurse who said they needed to take more blood again, they checked my vitals every hour as my blood pressure was low after the colonoscopy but I thought, well that is probably the amount of blood you have taken from me today! My consultant came up to see me to say that he thinks it is possibly Crohn’s disease but they have taken biopsies and will check for cancer as well. CANCER – that word NO – I had just lost my beautiful cousin to Cancer and too many of my family had lost their lives to cancer! I asked if I could go home and wait for the results and he said I could go that evening. When he left I just cried because one I was still full of meds, but I now had to wait for results! I then fell asleep for a few hours, when I woke up I thought I would try to get my stuff together ready to leave when they said I could go but I was quite unsteady on my feet. This was not a new thing because I had been unsteady and dizzy for weeks but I think the meds might of made it a bit worse and the low blood pressure!

Finally a nurse came in to say that I could leave in an hour but the doctor had requested one more set of bloods to be taken!!! That was my fourth set of bloods taken that day alone and 8 viles in each one, the nurse said she was sorry and couldn’t believe how much blood I had taken since being in hospital. Again it took a while and three nurses later to find somewhere to take blood from and finally my cannula was removed. I was also given a prescription to get tomorrow and start taking straight away, I did not know what they were or what for. I called Andy and he was just sorting out the kiddies dinner. I called my bestie who said that they were heading half way into London to pick something up so her and my cousin who is her partner would come get me. I called Andy and said they would pick me up rather than drag the kids out in the evening but I told him to let them to stay up and I will surprise them. I was so excited to step outside of the hospital and get into the car to be driven home, I can’t thank them enough for coming and picking me up from central London on a Saturday evening.

Me after my Colonoscopy, slightly out of it!