Summer Fun for Educators

I know that many of us involved in education save summertime (even those of us who teach in the summer) for a little r and r, (rest, relaxation, reading, writing, road trips, ruminating, roaring with glee, etc). 

But many of us also do unpleasant things like finally going to the doctor. I know, because getting an appointment in the summertime, even though I am free during the day, is quite the challenge. 

Of course some of that is because the doctors themselves, naturally, take their vacations during the summer, so the limited availability of appointments coupled with  the onslaught of teachers from pre-school through graduate school trying to cram in said appointments between our own vacations….Well, trust me, it’s a problem, especially in a small town with a limited number of doctors.

So, I’ve seen the dentist (who knew 35 year old cavities need to be replaced?), the “eye” doctor,  and my obgyn.  I was going to see the podiatrist, but put that off after hearing from the ob gym that, hmmm, there are some  indications of a problem, so you need to get a colonoscopy.

At 45, I was hoping to put that off for another 5 years (or so, after my big Thelma and Louise-like 50th birthdayweeks-long bash in Italy and Greece–without the Grand Canyon scene). 

I made an appointment for after my half marathons, but that was soon changed (the doctor had other plans). The new appointment is this week, but, it seems, I was not given the diet I should have been following for at least a week (who knew?!)  beforehand, so, mmm, we may need to reschedule for October, really such a wonderfully “free” month in terms of the academic calendar. 

I’ll find out tomorrow if that is really the case after I chat with the doctor (who, of course, is off on Mondays).

So, I’ve spent the morning searching the web for more on this supposed low-fiber diet I should have started, oh, either a few days ago, or 3 weeks ago, or not till tomorrow, depending on the author.  It’s brutal. I knew about the laxative and liquid diet required the day before, but nothing about the no-WINE rule a few days before (naturally I have a wine tasting party scheduled for Wednesday night–clearly that will be a blast for me). And really: my entire normal diet consists of nearly everything on the “do not consume” list. How much chicken broth can a girl eat when it’s nearly 100 degrees outside?

Anyway, the humor in all of this, whether or not the damn procedure is ultimately rescheduled for an incredibly inconvenient time like October, is that I found the following in my web search (and these are the creme de la creme of oodles of bloggings on the subject):

1. A first person account of a colonoscopy on a blog appropriately titled “I Laugh, Therefore I Am”

2. And, a blgo called, get this, Colonoscopy Blog.

3. A colonoscopy song (it’s actually quite catchy)