TMI? Part II

So yesterday I went in for my colonoscopy and endoscopy, basically meaning that the doctor stuck a camera in both ends... I've heard that the worst part about this procedure is the prep. Well, I mostly agree with that, because it was, in fact, horrible. However, I'm going to have to go with the worst part being when they thought I was out and couldn't feel anything, but still felt that little camera snaking it's way up my colon. That was quite possibly the worst thing I have ever felt. Luckly, I fell asleep like I should have been after about 10 seconds... Still, that's not right.
They didn't see anything abnormal except for a little excess bile in my stomach, which apparently could be causing some of the discomfort. They also are going to do a few biopsies of stuff they took out, whatever that means. So that was that. Now I'm back to waiting.
I'm still eating whatever I want, but am more aware of what upsets my stomach. For example, I can no longer have Cheetos or pizza from Little Caesar's. The list is a work in progress.

'nother sweet weekend

This weekend (if you can call Tuesday-Monday a weekend) I went to Oregon with my parents. It was pretty much awesome. I read some Harry Potter. I took some naps. I played with my nephews. I flew some kites. I put together some puzzle. Good times.

sweet weekend

This weekend I went to Mt. Rainier with Karuna and Becca. It was pretty much awesome. We totally lucked into a campsite (or God had a plan...). We hiked, we ate, we burned stuff, we slept in the woods. All in all, a good time.
In other news, the eating gluten is going fairly well, aside from the sporadic stomach cramping, desire to lay in the fetal position, and need to run to the bathroom...

My true love

I have owned a few kayaks over the years. I always thought my true love was my slightly used blue wilderness systems tempest 170. It turns out that I am a fickle person, as my true love has changed to this one...



and Tika likes it too

Murphy

For better or worse, I was the owner of a '95 Subaru for the past two years. It hauled my stuff up to Alaska almost two years ago, hauled it all back a month ago, and took me and my kayaks many places in between. But I sold the Murphy. I just didn't like him anymore. Because with Murphy, whatever could go wrong, would go wrong...

TMI?

I get to have a colonoscopy and endoscopy on the 26th of August. So I'm gluten free for another 2-3 weeks, then going on a gluten tour of Western Washington for 2-3 weeks, then don't eat for a day... should be good times... hopefully they find something that can lead to something other than the bullshit diagnosis of IBS*. But I get to wait at least another month to find out. I guess this is why I moved back, because if I hadn't it would be yet another trip back and forth... But I wouldn't mind being in Haines for the summer... if only...

*After talking with friends, we have agreed that IBS is what doctors say you have when they know something is wrong with your digestive system, but can't tell you what it is. "Oh, you have stomach issues but don't have Celiac, Crohns, food allergies, or a parasite of some sort? Huh. It must be IBS."

wait for it...

So I went to see a GI specialist at the University of Washington Medical Center today. What did he tell me? Here's the dramatized version...

Dr: It easily could just be IBS.
Me: Wait... you're telling me that I have had such crippling pain that I've almost gone to emergency rooms and moved 1,000 miles to be closer to doctors, and this is something that I just have to deal with?
Dr: Maybe. But since this really seems to be bothering you, we'll do a colonoscopy, endoscopy to take a biopsy of (insert technical thing regarding gluten here), a full blood work-up, and more labwork on a stool sample.
Me: What is that going to tell us?
Dr: Probably everything will come back negative and it's just IBS.
Me: So I just have to live with it?
Dr: Yes. It could be Post Traumatic IBS, which would mean that it could go away eventually, but that can take years.
Me: So we're just going to test for everything rule out other possibilities?
Dr: Yes. Oh, and for the biopsy to work, you have to eat gluten for at least two weeks before.
Me: So I basically get to eat whatever I want again.
Dr: Yes.
Me: DONUTS!
Dr: Oh, and I want you to start consuming more fiber. Try citrucel.
Me: Awesome. Or something.

So where does that leave me right now? The same place I was over six months ago. What the heck stomach?!?!?

a week in

I've been back in the lower 48 for just over a week. Granted, I spent half of that time in Oregon with my family, so I haven't exactly had the chance to settle in, but I think things will be ok. In all honesty, I think the hardest part about being in the big city will be loneliness... being that I am living between 35 and 1000 miles from most of my friends. I wonder if this is how people who live out the road feel...

Home Sweet Home?

Home is where your heart is right? Then more than being homeless, I am homefull. Or something like that. Saying goodbye to my people in Haines was crazy hard. I for sure left a part of my heart there, but am back in Seattle for a year or so or longer... who knows. I put my car on the ferry yesterday and then flew down to Seattle today. On Friday I'll head up to Bellingham with the amazing Ethel and pick it up and hopefully get a few pictures (because it is comically loaded down). Then I'll start unpacking my old stuff (life) and make it feel like home in Seattle (Arlington). Here's to living in my parents' basement for most of my 25th year!

fishing and walking and fishing some more

Ashley and I got to Kenai on Tuesday, so I had a couple days to myself while Ashley passed the interview process from the boyfriend's family. I went fishing on the Kasilof River and caught myself a sweet king salmon. I'll be sharing that with my family when I get to Seattle in July.


Then we headed up to Anchorage where Ash, Mom, Dad, and I walked 13.1 miles. Dad says he's ready to do it again next month. They won't, but he's already looking at half marathons in different places for next year. Pretty sweet.

Then Pa and I went fishing on the Kenai. We spent about 10 hours on the river with not even a bite... I think it's because we were out there to spread Grandpa's ashes and that crusty old fart was looking down on us and didn't want any of the attention of the day taken away from him. Besides, we fished a couple weeks with grandpa and caught only one, so it seemed like it's how it was supposed to be. (and I'm pretty sure that fishing in the Kenai isn't as good as people claim...)

I'm gonna miss this...

Today, I went kayaking. I know, big surprise. But today as I kayaked the same route that I have kayaked lots of times before, I saw something that I have never kayaked with before... a humpback whale. It was pretty much the coolest thing I have seen in a long time. It was just another reminder that I am totally going to miss this place. Haines has become home. While I'm excited to move closer to my family and all that good stuff, I will definitely miss Haines.

small town Haines

There's those places in the world where everyone is connected to everyone else. Haines is one of those places. Most of the time, I love that about Haines. But when a 14 year old drowns swimming a relatively short distance in the ocean, it's hard that everyone in town is connected to it somehow. It's good though too, because that way everyone can lean on everyone else. So tonight my prayers go out to all the people of Haines who knew Andrew Williamson, a good kid who's life was cut unfortunately short.

Time keeps ticking away

I'm moving back to Seattle from Haines in less than a month now. And at least half of that time I'll be in other areas of the state. It bums me out a little that I'm leaving so soon. But I'm just trying to make the most of the time that I have here, which includes working a bunch, kayaking a bunch, going bear hunting, and spending time with the people that have made this place like home.

come on jump out of the water porpoise

So Jamie was hanging out in town for a bit this past week and I got to hang out with her yesterday evening for a bit. What does one do when hanging out with a friend and you have already stopped to get ice cream, walked through town, and gone out to eat dinner? That's right, when you're Kate Maxwell's friend, you go kayaking. So off we went and just kinda hung out in the boats. While we were out there a group (herd/gaggle/pod/school) of porpoises came to check out our boats. It was pretty much the coolest thing (since kayaking with orca, anyway). So we watched the sun go down from the boats and stared at some sea life and then wandered back to shore. Good times.

drumroll, please...

For all three of you who follow my blog, this is me publicly, internet-ly announcing that I am moving back to Seattle. Most of Haines hasn't heard for sure yet, but I'm sure it'll start trickling around, and the people that I wanted to make sure that I told personally, I have told, so here it is in blog-land. Kate Maxwell will be living in (or near) the emerald city once more. In case you haven't figured out the reason why, refer back to any post about Pedro. That pesky bugger seems to still be wreaking some havoc on my guts, so it's time to go to a place where I can get more regular help and not have to travel anywhere between 5 and 18 hours to get to a doctor. So Seattle, here I come. Look out, or you might not know what hit you.