I miss my peanut butter




I've been having stomach problems for many months. My family doctor had me take a CT scan to make sure my liver and pancreas were normal. He then sent me to my gastro doctor (who is great). He checked me out and thought I could have an ulcer problem. A week later I had an endoscopy procedure where they give you great drugs and put a camera down my throat to see if anything was wrong. My stomach was free of problems and he let me continue my 5 O'clock Scotch. Now that my stomach was clean his assumed I had an IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) problem. He immediately put me on a FodMap diet.



This diet sucks. No Gluten (therefore no every day bread). No garlic or onions. Most of us don't realize that almost every tasty sauce (ketchup, barbecue sauce, red pasta sauce, etc. has garlic and onion as their base. Most greens are a no-no. All beans and nuts are a no-no. Most cheeses are a no-no. OH GOD I CAN"T HAVE Pizza. Life without pizza is half a life.



I started on the diet and four weeks later. I lost 8 pounds in the first three weeks. That's 10% weight loss in three months. I got scared and immediately went to my oncologists to make sure I didn't have cancer. ( since my youth I have always had CLL (chronic Lyophobic Lucama, but I'm in Stage zero) My dad had the same problem. After the tests everything came out normal. Just another worry gone.


Because my stomach was not much better, I went back to my gastro guy who immediately had me take a colonoscopy. If you never have taking a colonoscopy there is good news and bad news. The bad news is you spend the day before the procedure drinking the discussing liquid every 15 minutes and after doing so, a pint of water. three hours later you have to go through the same punishment for another thirty minutes plus a pint of water. The end result is that you can't leave the house because you're on the toilet through out the day and night getting rid of all the nasty, smelly and discussing waste that has accumulated in your upper and lower bowel,





Now, you might say WHAT THE HEL, IS THE GOOD NEWS!!! well, if you make it through the first day of clean-out, The actual colonoscopy is fantastic. They give you the same drug that Michael Jackson got hooked on and in a few minutes you are in La - La land having the best dreams of your life.


You wake up 45 minutes later feeling great. It's the best sleep you've every had and when the doctor comes in and says: everything is normal." You're one happy camper


I hated going through all these blood tests and procedures (thank you my American Government for Medicare"but it is so rewarding to know I've been tested for every serious disease that could have been going on within me. I still have a bad stomach and the doctors are working to find the cause, but whatever I have is not going to minimize my fabulous life that I so deserve. I'm mister )perfect



Now that I know I'm healthy even though I have some bad days with my stomach, I have the power to create and enjoy a happy live. I could stay home and feel sorry for myself because my stomach is just not right or I can accept that this stomach problem isn't going to kill me and I can have a great deal of fun with or without my stomach being all better.



I choose life. I choose accepting my stomach problem and getting the most happiness available to me. Life is so great even with an upset stomach, I truly believe this too will pass and I will be better for the experience.



Never let physical problems suck the fabulous life that is in front of you. Accept the frustration and the pain as part of your being and get the most of the good stuff that life brings.



When my stomach problem does away, I'm going to have the biggest peanut butter sandwich and love and enjoy it as thought it was my last meal in life!!!!