Old Passage

What a day. I've arrived at that age when the National Health Service invites you to certain screening procedures and you have to weigh up the risks of getting a particular disease versus the risks associated with the procedure, how invasive it might be, whether you need to take time off work, where it's carried out etc. etc. Today's was a tricky choice, a colonoscopy. You might want to look way now if you're squeamish - needless to say I did go for it.

While it was carried out reasonably close to home, a day off work was necessary given the timing (11:00) together with the potential after effects and the preparation. I'll start with the latter as this was the most daunting for me. Have you ever given yourself an enema? OMG. Lubricating, pushing, squeezing, pulling, holding on…. and then whoosh.

Still, that bit over off to the hospital. This particular facility is reputed to be a nightmare for parking and I can now testify that this is absolutely true. Arrive at 10:10, plenty of time surely. Having driven round three car parks twice I headed out into the surrounding residential areas. By 10:55 I pulled over on a yellow line and rang to say that I'd be late for my appointment. I was that close to going home. But, as luck would have it a space appeared directly opposite, albeit half a mile from the Endoscopy Department.

Ok not too bad, just 10 minutes late and a very helpful lady member of staff came over to help me with my automatic registration - its like getting your boarding pass at an airport, they even have Gate numbers. Bar code facing up, wait for it…. beep. Now enter Gender, DoB, postcode, wait for it…. wait for it…. no beep, rejected. What?! The helpful lady then asks "does your letter have the Gate number on it", "yes" I say, "oh" she says, "then there's no need to register", "arrgghh" I mutter…. "take the lift, 3rd floor" she says while smiling widely and pointing down the corridor.

At last, the Endoscopy Department. A form to fill out and a queue to join it appears, plenty of people waiting. It turns out that most are accompanying someone already being seen to so it wasn't long before I'm beckoned to a pre-brief with a couple of consent forms to sign. Then's it time to undress and don the very fetching gown (not), apart from socks and shoes - not allowed to walk round in bare feet - picture the scene! About 10 minutes more before the lady doctor arrives and takes me to the room where it all happens and to meet the rest of the team, two female and one male nurse. Heightened anxiety at this stage.

Last minute checks as I lie on my side with knees drawn up to waist level and then waahay, there it is then, we're away. I'm facing the TV screen where the image is displayed; all a bit surreal watching a movie of the inside of your bowel. Being an avid blipper I was so close to asking if I could take a picture! Is that weird? Anyway, having probed for a few minutes, with some strange though only mildly unpleasant sensations, it was time to lie on my back, knees still up, for more probing.

Well, after all that the good news is that I was given the all clear, no polyps to remove or other concerns. Phew. The after effects have been limited to a sudden rush of the need to go to the loo, which I'm glad to say that I made it in time.

Anyone who looked away can look back now(!). And, seriously, if anyone is contemplating whether to have this screening procedure carried out, for me the anticipation was worse that the event itself. Another life experience and provided free by our wonderful health service in the UK.

So the title of today's blip is quite apt really. It is also the name of the road that leads to the old ferry ticket office that closed in 1966 when the Severn Bridge opened. I spent a good hour wandering along the east bank of the river and was happy with several images. It's actually the second Severn Crossing you can see in the distance.

I think I deserve a relaxing evening now. Happy blipping.