Polyps & Bronchiectasis

If you don't like health condition discussions, steer clear of this post! ;-)

I had my second colonoscopy today (first one was in 2009) and the doctor said he found and removed two polyps. (I can't say that word without thinking of my friend Jo's former blog, The Leery Polyp)

My mom is super stressed out about this because she had some polyps removed a couple of years ago and she thinks it's OK to have polyps at 73, but not at 43!

We have a history of colon problems in our family, including the death of my paternal grandfather after a failed colonoscopy and my maternal great-grandma's death, that's why I've been proactive by seeing GI doctors once in a while. (Never mind that the local office had me seen by a physician's assistant last year and this year -- I checked her badge, she is NOT a nurse practitioner, which would have been acceptable -- and still charged me the specialist co-pay ($40). Health care in this country is an outrageous joke sometimes. I think the assistant did an OK job, but still, paying for an expensive doctor's visit and not seeing a doctor is TYPICAL of U.S. health care, BLAH! the same thing happened on my second visit to the dermatologist. I don't want to go back there anymore now!).

However, my mom shouldn't be worrying about me when she has had a very worrisome recent diagnosis of bronchiectasis to worry about. This is an irreversible condition in which the airways in one's lungs have been stretched and damaged and can no longer effectively get rid of mucus and get air in. Scary, right?! She was actually diagnosed by her cardiologist (because she thought she had heart problems) and hasn't yet seen a lung specialist. The symptoms are shortness of breath and the sensation of a "weight" on the lungs.

We just had a "fun" conversation of nearly 40 minutes on Skype in which she worried about me a bit and then I listened to her talk about the doctor's visit and urged her to do certain things (such as NOT use the 40 year old nebulizer and go buy a brand new one, go to a lung doctor, start physical therapy, etc.). "Mothering" one's mother isn't easy!

My mom has always been very good and proactive about her health care, so I've never had to worry about it, but this is a new condition that we weren't aware of and she didn't seem to be taking it as seriously as she should. She's undergone multiple surgeries with no fear and she's generally quite healthy, but this lung problem was likely caused by her gastric reflux which has been treated, but still bothers her. 

I'll keep you posted about these issues!(sigh...)

Note to self: I need to come up with a label for posts about my parents

P.S. Fingers crossed for the application which was due today. I'm getting nervous!