Thanks, y'all. It's my first birthday without Willie Mays -- and I lost my mother's father the year he was 58. So it's a little scary, but I'll get by, as they say, with a little help from my friends.

Thanks for being here, Buffistas. Hugs and love and party hats to everyone who wants them.

Happy Birthday, Karl!

Happy Birthday, Karl!

I'm still out in Pigeon Forge and it looks like I'm going to be here until the end of the month.

Happy birth, Karl!

One birthday where I got the present. Have a great one, bunkie.

Killed 8 this morning and 12 this afternoon.

8 in one blow?

Thank you, brenda! I was waiting for that reference (as I was playing catch up).

No meara, so let's see what I remember...

Happiest of Birthdays, Karl! Have a wonderful day!

Sounds like a very positive visit with the GS, Bev!

Congrats to your bro on the solids, Laura. Shame about the smoking, but as my diabetic mom would remind me as she was buying cookies - no point in trying to extend your life if you're not enjoying it. It's hard to watch, but ultimately we have to let other adults make their own choices. Sigh.

Glad the hand (evil or not) is recovering well, Steph!

I found Country Time lemonade mix powder to be my lifesaver when I was prepping for colonoscopies. (Note: you never want to be doing the prep while hospitalized - they don't have anything to add to the drink mix, and the one I was given is apparently known for being extra disgusting). And I was never given a pill option, because BELIEVE ME, I would have taken it!

Today's my annual boob squish, with bonus ultrasound digging. So that'll be fun. But G_d knows I don't need any MORE cancer, so off to the clinic I go.

I clocked in at 5:30 this morning - we had a quarterly meeting (that keeps being scheduled at 8:30 EASTERN) that I would normally just watch the recording of later, but figured since I have to leave early for the mammo appt, I might as well clock in for the mtg and leave for my appt without having to worry about making up the time. It's really messing up my sense of time - because I feel like I've been working for nearly 6 hours, but the clock is not at 2:30 (where it should be 6 hours into my day).

I’ve had that time sense issue before, and it doesn’t help that I’m not a morning person so it feels all weird anyway. Good luck, Epic!

Thanks for all the suggestions y’all. I took a look at the freakin JUG I picked up and it specifies not to mix it with anything but water and maybe the lemon flavor packet that is included on the side. Gross. I’m not sure I can get down four liters of liquid at all, much less gross liquid. Got a couple weeks to think about it though.

It's hard to watch, but ultimately we have to let other adults make their own choices.

That is one I learned very early on. Honestly, once you totally yield to allowing adults to make their own decisions, it takes away quite a burden. It's quite enough on our shoulders to make our own.

it doesn’t help that I’m not a morning person so it feels all weird anyway.

Yes, very much this!

it specifies not to mix it with anything but water and maybe the lemon flavor packet that is included on the side.

You might want to double-check with someone on the doctor's staff, if you can. I had one that specified that you could add sugar-free drink mixes, but at the time I had intolerance to artificial sweeteners (apparently often a side-effect of lactose intolerance). I explained to the nurse I spoke with that I couldn't have sugar-free drinks and they agreed that a drink mix with sugar should be fine. There may be some degree of latitude, but they just don't want people to take a mile for the inch they've been granted.

Either way, everyone agrees, mixing with cold water helps, drinking with a straw helps. And honestly, some of them aren't even that bad. They just taste like salt water (except the one I was given in the hospital - THAT was foul. Don't try to chug to just get it over with, though. That way led to vomiting for me. Yeurgh!)

Got a couple weeks to think about it though.

Honestly, this is sometimes the worst of it. You worry about the diet adjustments beforehand, you worry about getting the liquid down, you worry about bathroom visits (excessive, yes.) The procedure itself is a snap - I know they say "twilight sedation", but I've been out cold for every one so far. Try not to give it too much thought; soon you'll be on the other side.