Cold and Flu, Doctors and Friends heading back north!

It's been better than 10 days since I've updated here.  Rich is well into week 6 with his cold/flu.  Had the flu shot - but can't remember anytime that the congestion and cough has lasted this long for him.  He feels pretty good, but the congestion comes and goes, and cough just hangs on.  Last weekend I thought I was coming down with it.  Real congested, achey all over, tired, fever.........but it only lasted 2 or 3 days.  Never did get the bad cough!

Rich had his appointment with the Gastroenteroligst.  Check on what our family doctor thought might be GERD,  and said it was nothing to be worried about unless it was happening consistently 3-4 times/week.  Told him to use Zantac as needed.   He also checked the results of his Cologuard Test and set him up for a endoscopic procedure (colonoscopy).  That was scheduled for this past Tuesday.

 As everyone knows the prep is worse than the procedure.

So Saturday was the last day he could normally! And aren't you always more hungry when you know you can't eat?

 The last thing he ate was the last four chocolate donuts in the bag, covered with the remaining whipped cream in the fridge.

Sunday was a limited diet, no milk or milk products. only whole grain bread, nothing fried etc....  So it was egg salad on whole grain bread for lunch, and chicken, rice and carrots for dinner.  Snacks were tough - He settled for a grape Popsicle.  Monday was prep day, so anyone who has gone through this procedure knows what that means.   We prepared the prep mix the night before. 4 Liters!  Mixed about 5 packets of Crystal Light Lemonade in with the mix and put it in the fridge to chill overnight. At 8:00 am Monday morning the liquid diet started. All day long it was the prep mix, coffee, Gatorade, apple juice, jello, Popsicles, and 1001 trips to the bathroom!  On Tuesday morning we headed for Florida Hospital/Heartland in Sebring.

 He did his share of complaining - but not as much as I had anticipated!  About 3 hours in the hospital, about 20 minutes for the procedure.  Doctor came by in recovery and said they found a couple of polyps and did a biopsy, but said he was pretty sure they were benign and that all looked well.   Of course the first thing he asked for was his cup of coffee!  Told to still watch what he ate the rest of the day - so he opted for chicken noodle soup for dinner and jello  We were up late watching the results of the GOP Primary. And he decided before we went to bed that he was going to Golden Corral on Wednesday - and we did!  Two plates of food and a hot fudge sundae!

Friday, I did some grocery shopping, did up a potato salad and fruit dish for
Saturday - as we expected company for the day.
 Rich made his pizza for dinner and we watched a few of our TV programs.

Dieter and Helen arrive late morning from Northport, FL.  We chatted for a while and then had some lunch.  Roast beef/turkey/ham/cheese sandwiches, fresh fruit, potato salad, and cupcakes for dessert.  It rained most of the day, but we did get outside, went down by the dock and sat out on the lanai. Wind came up and the rain was blowing in - so headed back inside.  Just had a really great visit with them for most of the day.  They will be heading back to Columbia Crossroads, PA on April 2nd, so this will be the last time we see them down here this year.  We hope to hook up with them sometime this summer when we head north for a while.  Thanks for a great day Dieter and Helen!  God Bless, Safe Travels!