SMA Awareness Day 6-survived my colonoscopy

I set my alarm for 5 AM so I could finish the darn prep for the colonoscopy.  HIDEOUS stuff.  But I drank as much as I could--definitely not the whole gallon but I think it did it's trick.

Boys were still sleeping when AC picked me up at 8:30.  I had told them I'd be gone when they woke up, and they were okay with it.  Luckily, I had picked a day that we had nurses for both boys and Gene didn't need to go into work for anything.  AND, Julia was able to work today so she did formula and all the other stuff she does. 

It all went pretty smoothly today.  I'll spare you all the details.  I think we were out of there before 11:30 or so.  Stopped at DD in Milton for coffee and sandwiches and got home here by 12:15 or so.  I thought I'd end up being late because my doc had an emergency but a different doc had a no show so I okayed having the other doc.  He was nice, skilled and has been at this for a while--not old but not a greenhorn.  I had Demerol and Versed and was out for the whole thing.  I honestly didn't care about seeing my colon--just was hoping for some good rest, ha ha.  I don't remember much after being asked to go on my left side and the nurse pushing the Versed.  Woke up.  Rolled to recovery.  I don't think we were there very long at all before I was dressed, up and out of there.  OH, I also had some Zofran because I'd had issues with anesthesia before. 

I said hi to the boys--Randi was here for Casey (she's his art therapist) and had a few sips of iced coffee--no desire for food, and headed up to bed.  Tried to read for a few minutes and then gave up and slept, ahhhh!

Not much else happened.  The boys went out for a walk after Randi left.  They enjoyed themselves and Colin didn't even want to come inside!

Just read to the boys some of Wonder.  I'm going to head to bed.

SMA fact below:  

Carrier Information for Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA):

When two (2) carriers of the SMA gene have a child together there are three (3) possible outcomes:
A 25% Chance of having an UNAFFECTED child, a 50% Chance of having a child who is a CARRIER, and a 25% Chance of having an SMA AFFECTED child.

You could, unknowingly, be a carrier of the SMA gene. Carriers of the SMA are healthy individuals who do not have symptoms of SMA. If you are wondering if you or your significant other may be a carrier of SMA, you can find out via a simple blood test. Want more information on carrier testing?
Visit The Claire Altman Heine Foundation’s website
www.clairealtmanheinefoundation.org

Information Collected from Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy (FSMA) i - www.fsma.org

SMA Awareness Day 5--

So, I am writing this a day late.  I gave myself that permission since I had to spend the day in preparation for my colonoscopy on Wednesday.  That entailed eating Jell-O for breakfast, bouillon for lunch, some Mountain Dew for the caffeine, and using the bathroom a lot.  AND, that was before I had to start drinking the Golytely at 5:30.  I'll only say that it was rough.  It didn't even taste that badly but I had a hard time with it.  I tried drinking it quickly but I'd gag.  I tried drinking it slowly, I'd gag.  I tried having a Popsicle first, but I'd still gag. 

Boys had an okay day.  Casey did his thing with Julie--some belly time, computer, radio, ipod, etc.  Colin had Nancy H for half the day.  After that Gene and I took turns hanging with him. 

The most interesting thing of the day, and coinciding with SMA Awareness Month, is that my nephew dropped by with his girlfriend.  They had just come from the geneticist, along with my other nephew and done their visit where they map out family history.  The geneticist, from the same place, but different person, wanted some info so I managed to dig up some old papers from when we had Casey tested back in 1997.  Not sure when they get their blood drawn but I hope it's soon.  All they need to do if find out if they are carriers--if not, then they don't need to go any further.  But, if they are a carrier, their partner should be tested.

Like so many other families that I've come to know over these past 17 plus years, no family member had been affected by SMA and none of us had even heard the words 'spinal' 'muscular' 'atrophy' strung together to make the disease/disorder/condition that would change both sides of our family forever.

I am proud of the boys for taking this step (and I will say that I am also proud of my niece because she was tested before she had her first child).  No one WANTS their child to have SMA but it is what it is and my boys wouldn't be 'my plumpie' and 'my collard green' if they were born without it.  I'm just saying that I love my boys and they are my life and I love my life as it is because they are THEM.  Of course, if Gene and I had had children without SMA we would be clueless and love our boys and not imagine our lives without them just the way we are living our lives now.