Welcome to my weekly post where I share some photos and highlights from the past week + what I’m Reading and Watching, and listening to. I also share links to posts or other interesting things that I don’t want you to miss.
It was colonoscopy week – and I received many requests to share all the details of the procedure and preparation. So I shared more details on Instagram for those who are interested!
(I had a colonoscopy and an endoscopy to try to find the cause of my chronic anemia.)
I made a low residue meal (no fiber) three days before and I would do this again as I think it made the preparation easier! You can see an example of what I ate for this meal here.
The hardest part of the whole process was the 36 hour clear liquid diet. I didn’t expect to be SO hungry – like I can’t work, I have to lay down, brain fog is hungry. In retrospect, I would have gotten more jello, hard candies, gummy bears, and Italian ice if I had known I would feel hungry! See more of what I ate on my “clear liquid diet” here.
(Also I kept thinking about people who have to eat liquid food all the time, have a feeding tube, or are really hungry and hungry and it gave me a new appreciation for what I usually take for granted.)
I took 4 Dulcolax to start the preparation and it worked very well and quickly – and I was nauseous and uncomfortable for an hour and then I was good.
And then I had a bunch of Miralax mixed with Gatorade to make sure I was completely cleansed. This part was really easy and I just took it easy, sat by the bathroom, and watched Where the Heart Calls.
I ended up sleeping all night (I was prepared to stay up all night and be miserable) and started another round of Miralax and Gatorade in the morning starting at 5:30 am.
I am getting ready to go back for my endoscopy and colonoscopy. This man has been absolutely amazing this past week – he always takes good care of me!
He made two grocery runs to pick up all my colonoscopy supplies and then went and got me extra tea and honey, Jello, and Italian ice when I was really hungry for my clean liquid diet.
Then, she did all the school drop offs and pickups for two days and took care of the kids while I was on the Gatorade/Miralax prepping part 🙃 then she took me to the course and stayed there with me.
Marriage is usually not a big big gesture but small little actions and extra sacrifices that,
“I love you.”
We actually didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day together this year because Jesse is out of town (he and Silas are on a ski trip in Utah), but we try to celebrate every day of the year with small gestures and acts of kindness. And I feel like that’s really what’s most important.
10 Things That Surprised Me About My First Colonoscopy/Endoscopy…
1) The preparation was much easier than I expected, but…
2) 24+ hours on a clear liquid diet was more difficult than I expected – I was very hungry and had brain fog and felt very weak. (I was so glad I had planned not to do much work that day!)
3) Mixing MiraLAX & Gatorade and dividing it into small bottles and putting it in the fridge made it taste really good (or maybe I was so hungry that it didn’t taste bad!)
4) I didn’t feel any discomfort during the preparation except for an hour of nausea after taking the Dulcolax.
5) I was expecting a light sedation for the procedure so I was really surprised when they put in an IV and gave me oxygen.
6) I was worried that it might take me a while to fall asleep. But within two seconds of the anesthesiologist telling me he was starting the medication, I was out.
7) I don’t remember a single thing until an hour later when they were talking loudly telling me that I needed to wake up. (I think it took several attempts to wake Jesse up.)
8) My first thought after waking me up was, “Please let me go back to sleep. Don’t wake me up!”
9) I had no pain or discomfort of any kind, except in my stomach where they did some biopsies.
10) It took me a few hours to think it through. It was like I couldn’t remember the words when I tried to speak and when Kathrynne called me and told me something about her day, I couldn’t follow what she was saying. I understood the words but I can understand what they mean. It was a strange thing. 🫣
All in all, it was a really good experience! The colonoscopy and endoscopy looked good – nothing out of the ordinary and everything looked normal and healthy inside. They did biopsies and we are waiting for the results of that + I have another test next week and may need another scope, depending on the results of that. Hopefully we’ll get some answers on that, but we’ll see!
I could have been happy with a non-liquid diet… but since I had an endoscopy and multiple biopsies, they only recommended soft foods, so I had mashed potatoes and mac & cheese and it felt like the BEST mac & cheese and mashed potatoes I’ve ever eaten! 🙂
Jesse and Silas went to Target and brought back these tulips for me. I think Micah saw them and insisted they get me these for Valentine’s Day. It was the sweetest gesture from my boys.
Kierstyn and Micah had History Week at their little old school last week. They read about Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. On the last day, they could get dressed, so Kierstyn wore this dress… and as soon as she put it on, she suddenly looked GROWN UP!
I finished the book this week
Don’t Burn Your Own House — This book inspired me in many practical ways to put Jesse first and noted many small and large aspects that I could improve on to help him feel loved, supported and seen. I liked how honest the author was but also how practical and practical it was. I definitely recommend it if you are struggling in your marriage or hoping to continue building a deeper connection. Listen to the podcast episode I did with the author here.
What I’m watching
The Olympics, of course, like last week. I also watched a few episodes of When Calls the Heart.
Psst! If you haven’t seen it, you can watch the Olympics for free by signing up for a Walmart+ free trial!
In Case You Missed It – This Week’s Post
This week’s Podcast episode
This week it continues The Crystal Paine ShowI want to talk about something that changed my life unexpectedly this year – what I jokingly call my “grandma hobby.” When I first shared that name online, it sparked more emotions than I expected. Some people really liked it, but others found it really annoying. For me, it’s a playful way of expressing something deeply meaningful: choosing activities that slow me down, calm my body, and help me feel present again!
Two years ago, if I had heard myself talking excitedly about a puzzle, watercoloring, or crocheting a scarf, I probably would have thought something had gone terribly wrong. At that time, my life was filled with adrenaline, constant urgency, and an endless to-do list. I didn’t realize how tightly I was living until I started to loosen up, and with the encouragement of my functional medicine doctor, I deliberately started to create a space – working for a few hours, building in a white space, and letting go of the need to always be “on,” and in that space, I found myself drawn to simple, creative things that required nothing of me but my attention.
Listen to this episode as Jesse and I talk honestly about what it was like to get out of fight mode and learn to relax, and I recount how scary it was to cut back on working hours as a company CEO, how much anxiety it caused, and how it revealed a control idol I didn’t even know I had. I also shared the amazing ways God met me in that place – financially, emotionally, and spiritually – when I finally chose to trust instead of hustle.
Jesse and I also talk about how it feels when your calendar finally has room to breathe, when your to-do list doesn’t fill the page, and when people start to feel like opportunities instead of distractions. We laugh about puzzles, sourdough, and my flexible relationship with recipes, but more than that, we talk about what it means to live in a calm place and be fully present to the people and work we love!
Please watch this week, especially if you are tired, running on adrenaline, or longing for a slower, richer way of life. Maybe it’s time to find your own version of “grandma’s pastime.” I hope this discussion inspires you, and, as always, I’d love to hear from you, so please feel free to get in touch!
Tell me about your week! Something interesting happening? Did you read any good books, watch any good shows, or do any projects?
