The Looming – sounds like it could be a book, or a horror movie, something slow and suspenseful. Tomorrow is the final event looming ahead of me, and I’ve found it all too appropriate that it falls on the 13th. Tomorrow morning I will turn right instead of left at the four-way stop, turn right again to get on I-5 South, and face my fears (or something).

If you don’t pity me for the drive than pity me for my 8-hour FDA training. In Tacoma. With no Internet.

In the meantime, the loom that has passed:

Sunday, Andrew’s graduation. A really big deal of course, but I was nervous about spending the day alone with Andrew’s family (it was fine) and nervous about drugging my UC into submission for the day. That was also fine, and it’s a good thing because this was the bathroom situation for the day:

Before the ceremony – about an hour of waiting outside before the doors were opened for guest. I had to go early with Andrew to hold things while he was gowned.

Inside before the ceremony – long lines reported by Andrew’s mother.

During the ceremony – sure, if you want to be that person.

Later in the ceremony when other people have left therefore declaring it socially acceptable – All those people had the same idea, plus see above.

After the ceremony – lines worse than before, I’m sure. Everyone who didn’t go beforehand is going to afterwards.

In the parking lot – it took us at least 30 minutes to get out, wow.

Also, I’m not sure which was more embarrassing – when Andrew’s mother told him our apartment smelled bad, or that I couldn’t smell it myself!

Friday, my new gastroenterologist appointment. Even though I was looking forward to it, it was still looming for a good long while. Plus that last week was more infuriating knowing that I had to postpone the appointment pointlessly.

However I definitely like my new doctor. She went over my entire history, actually read the medical information forms they make you fill out beforehand (referred me to dermatology for a rash on my foot that I’ve Internet-diagnosed as eczema.) She agrees that I don’t need to be on the Entocort and I’m tapering off of it now. We went over my remaining drugs and she explained how Remicade and pregnancy works. Since I’m not pregnant yet, she wants to make sure I’m healthy beforehand, however I didn’t say that I’m not putting it off any longer than we’re already planned, green light or not.

Also I get to have another colonoscopy. I’m hoping if I say it like that, it’ll make me think it’s something I want to do – yay a colonoscopy! Actually I’ve gone through this so many times I feel pretty blase about the whole thing. (In other words, it’s not looming.) And her point makes sense – we need to find out if I still have active inflammation that needs to be treated, or if I’m having IBS symptoms as well.

The actual exciting thing is I’m now in a research study. I feel like it was something I was expected to take more time on deciding but I’m all for someone getting a benefit out of me having this disease if I’m already stuck with it. It just means that they take extra blood when they’re already taking blood, and extra tissue samples when they’re already doing biopsies (colonoscopy).

After the appointment I met with the research coordinator who then followed me to the lab and had me fill out paperwork that looked like the paperwork I’ve already filled out. I hoped she wasn’t thinking she had to keep me company while waiting because I would have been more comfortable just pulling out my Kindle after the questions were answered, but she came with me when my name was called and added ten vials for blood on top of what the doctor ordered.

Finally she apologized for having to leave – where I was thinking, “Yes, PLEASE, finally!” – while the lab person was explaining to me the process for preparing a stool sample. I know she must hear this stuff all the time if she’s doing IBD research, but it’s still awkward on the patient end with someone listening in!

Actually looking back, I’m surprised she didn’t ask for extra for herself.

Finally, due to a crazy series of events I’m going to be doing that colonoscopy prep in July in the same bathroom I did my first one. We’re moving back to Capitol Hill, back to my old apartment, at the end of the month.