Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was perfectly willing to book a medical transport (I think it was about double the price of a regular taxi) but my sweet neighbor insisted on driving me and was happy to leave her husband to deal with the kids & morning routine [HAHAHA].

Fasting: oh yeah it's awful. I took the fasting day off (or worked from home--can't remember) but definitely spared my colleagues the hangriness. I took the procedure day off too though honestly it was a very early appointment and I could've been at work fine by 9am.

Do you think this makes OP feel better. You are so special someone insisted on changing up the morning routine, having her husband leave later for work so she could be there for you and so you need to let OP know this when her neighbor may not be able to do this? It's lovely your neighbor did that/ Do you also brag about other kind things people do for you to those who don't have people looking out for them that way?

Calm down. There are medical transport services that exist, and they are common in the DMV area, if that's where OP is posting from. People use them even if they have family. And again, a colonoscopy is not the most debilitating medical procedure--not for everyone. I sat in the waiting room until I felt steady on my feet, and then took a taxi home.

NP. They really aren't. I used medical transport easily in another city but have not been able to find one in the DMV, and the medical provider was no help. I have had a few colonoscopies in DC near where I work, so I have a coworker come sign me out but then they go back to work and I head home (I've taken both Uber and Metro). Terrible idea but I have done it multiple times. Desperate times call for desperate measures and all that.

OP try care.com (good suggestion that I never tried) or post on your local community FB group. Those posts are frequent around me, including one posted last week for later this month.

I’m always offer to drive whenever a friend has one. You don’t not eat the day before you just eat clear liquids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was perfectly willing to book a medical transport (I think it was about double the price of a regular taxi) but my sweet neighbor insisted on driving me and was happy to leave her husband to deal with the kids & morning routine [HAHAHA].

Fasting: oh yeah it's awful. I took the fasting day off (or worked from home--can't remember) but definitely spared my colleagues the hangriness. I took the procedure day off too though honestly it was a very early appointment and I could've been at work fine by 9am.

Do you think this makes OP feel better. You are so special someone insisted on changing up the morning routine, having her husband leave later for work so she could be there for you and so you need to let OP know this when her neighbor may not be able to do this? It's lovely your neighbor did that/ Do you also brag about other kind things people do for you to those who don't have people looking out for them that way?

Calm down. There are medical transport services that exist, and they are common in the DMV area, if that's where OP is posting from. People use them even if they have family. And again, a colonoscopy is not the most debilitating medical procedure--not for everyone. I sat in the waiting room until I felt steady on my feet, and then took a taxi home.

I haven’t read all the responses but try Care.com. I was able to find someone to drive my adult DS to appointments after a surgery when he needed more help than what an Uber could provide - getting in and out of the car, getting up to the medical office. They have all levels of service and in the city where DS lives, there was a lot of people who do transportation.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m single and asked a friend. I did it on a Monday so prep was on a Sunday but it was fine, I could have worked the day before. Don’t you have friends?

I live in a major city and while I have friends, none of us have cars. Not everyone lives in the suburbs and drives everywhere.

Places care that you are not taxiing or ubering alone. They want an escort.
So friend or hired aide shows up, waits with you, escorts you out. At curb they hail a ride and go with you. No car ownership involved.

Anonymous wrote:I was perfectly willing to book a medical transport (I think it was about double the price of a regular taxi) but my sweet neighbor insisted on driving me and was happy to leave her husband to deal with the kids & morning routine [HAHAHA].

Fasting: oh yeah it's awful. I took the fasting day off (or worked from home--can't remember) but definitely spared my colleagues the hangriness. I took the procedure day off too though honestly it was a very early appointment and I could've been at work fine by 9am.

Do you think this makes OP feel better. You are so special someone insisted on changing up the morning routine, having her husband leave later for work so she could be there for you and so you need to let OP know this when her neighbor may not be able to do this? It's lovely your neighbor did that/ Do you also brag about other kind things people do for you to those who don't have people looking out for them that way?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m single and asked a friend. I did it on a Monday so prep was on a Sunday but it was fine, I could have worked the day before. Don’t you have friends?

I live in a major city and while I have friends, none of us have cars. Not everyone lives in the suburbs and drives everywhere.

In major cities, there's Uber/Lyft and other ride shares. And certainly there's medical transport. You have your friend book the Uber/Lyft for you, and go with you if you expect you will need help.

Anonymous wrote:this is *where* our society that is all "you don't need anyone, you don't need a spouse of family, only yourself" screws you over. If you want a stranger helping you put on your underwear and bra, go for it, I guess. I'd rather have my spouse of 30 years help me.

You do realize that if you marry someone subpar, they won't be helpful to you after a colonoscopy right? I am not married because nobody has ever been interested in me. I'm not fighting men off with a stick here. Also, look how many people have awful spouses - do you honestly think they're helping people get dressed? No, no they're not. Never mind the spouses that die pre-50, for whatever reasons. So marriage is no guarantee.

Anonymous wrote:I see people on my local Reddit every so often begging for someone on the board to be their colonoscopy companion. What they don't realize (it's their first colonoscopy) is that the person who is your companion will be responsible for getting you out of your hospital gown and back into your clothes, because you'll be a bit out of it. You're aware, but weak and need some help. I'm almost 60, and this is what our society that is all "you don't need anyone, you don't need a spouse of family, only yourself" screws you over.

I have done a few colonoscopies and never needed help with my clothes. If you need help, they have a call button. Also, you can hire an aide to drive you and wait for you and that person can help with this. In my husband's case he could not walk well and I had to assist him in the bathroom. No way he would have allowed a friend to do this. Everyone is different. The thing is, it's MUCH easier to do prevention than it is to go through cancer treatment. Not a big deal to hire transport or even an aide or even a nurse if you are really afraid or have a history of issues. You do what you have to do and in the scheme of things it isn't a big deal and it's worth the money. If I did have issues and my husband couldn't be there, I'd feel much better about paying an aide than making a friend take off from work to escort me to the bathroom and clean up my vomit. I'd probably insist on giving them a generous gift card where I paid just as much as if I hired someone.

Anonymous wrote:I’m single and asked a friend. I did it on a Monday so prep was on a Sunday but it was fine, I could have worked the day before. Don’t you have friends?

I live in a major city and while I have friends, none of us have cars. Not everyone lives in the suburbs and drives everywhere.

I've driven several family members and friends. It's no big deal.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I scheduled one without anasthesia. I know lots of people will be shocked - shocked! - but, if you can find a doctor willing to do the procedure that way, and you don't mind some brief occurances of discomfort (yes, there is some), then that is a possibility.

This is an option. Although it's rare in the US, in Japan most colonoscopies are not sedated. I did mine without it. I thought it would be bad, but I really don't like sedation so was willing to suffer. But I didn't: there were a few moments of discomfort, but honestly it wasn't as bad as a typical dentist cleaning.

I understand many people have different preferences, so do whatever you prefer, but you have a choice.

Thirded - I've done my last 2 without sedation. It's nice to be done and just walk out and get on with your life.

I personally considered IUD insertion to be more uncomfortable than the colonoscopy, though neither was awful. And yet colonoscopies are routinely sedated in the US, while IUD insertions are never sedated.

Anonymous wrote:I scheduled one without anasthesia. I know lots of people will be shocked - shocked! - but, if you can find a doctor willing to do the procedure that way, and you don't mind some brief occurances of discomfort (yes, there is some), then that is a possibility.

This is an option. Although it's rare in the US, in Japan most colonoscopies are not sedated. I did mine without it. I thought it would be bad, but I really don't like sedation so was willing to suffer. But I didn't: there were a few moments of discomfort, but honestly it wasn't as bad as a typical dentist cleaning.

I understand many people have different preferences, so do whatever you prefer, but you have a choice.

My spouse accompanies me. The nurses bring my bag of clothes from my locker and I put them on in the curtained cubicle where they wheeled my gurney. If I am not awake enough to do that yet I am not ready to leave. I go out to spouse in waiting room.

this is *where* our society that is all "you don't need anyone, you don't need a spouse of family, only yourself" screws you over. If you want a stranger helping you put on your underwear and bra, go for it, I guess. I'd rather have my spouse of 30 years help me.