Posts tagged ‘midwest GI’
Semicolon Communications
So as you might be able to tell, I’ve just run with this whole “semicolon” thing.
The nice thing for me is that since I’m a blogger and a writer – it works. For those who have no idea who I am, they think I’m obsessed with the semicolon – like my friend Ditty. 🙂
But for those of you who know me, you know exactly where it comes from. Oh – as well as the nice teller at the bank who nicely asked the origin of my (weird!) business name.
So as I was trying to come up with a name for my small business last spring, this was a natural fit. I used “communications” to house all the different types of things I do and felt the “semicolon brand” best personified who I am, and my driving force for try new things – like building up a random freelance business!
I can’t really say anything except that God is good to me, and His plans are way better than mine. What started as a small way to start making a few extra dollars last year has become somewhat of a growing business! I’m finding my business is growing, as well as my client and to-do list! Of course, all of this growth has been on the heels of our adoption – so the extra money certainly has helped our endeavors!
As I really began to get going with Semicolon Communications, God put Midwest GI in my path as my first big client – and then followed a connection with Amy Driver, owner of DA Designing. Partnering with Amy this past year has allowed me to expand my portfolio, become an official “freelance copy writer” and meet some more awesome connections, like Rob from Turn The Page Marketing who’s hired me as his SEO businesses’ copy writer. And this is just the beginning… I’ve got a few more leads that have come in lately, and I have a feeling that this is only the beginning…
So with that said, I have to say that God is good, and I am enjoying his unexpected plan and blessings. And two – I am excited to unveil the official Semicolon Communications website. Here.
What a wild ride it’s been the past year. I can’t wait to see what happens from here…
* A special thanks to DA Designing for this AMAZING site. It’s an honor working with you guys.
Can Twizzlers Make Your Poop Red?
By far, one of the most common Google searches that leads people to my blog is, “Can Twizzlers make your poop red?” So – I asked our resident SemiColon Blog expert, and here’s what Dr. Taormina from Midwest Gastroenterology had to say:
Dear Dr. T,
Can eating Twizzlers make your poop red?
Dr. T’s answer:
Yes. The dye in Twizzlers will make your poop red, depending on how much you eat and how rapid it transits the gut. Beware the sugarless variety ! It has sorbitol and eating enough of that will give you red-tinted diarrheal stools!
So there you have it, blog readers. Yes, Twizzlers CAN make your poop red. Now – if your poop is red, like blood, and you haven’t been eating a bag of Twizzlers, get it checked out.
Good Colonoscopy Report!
Just wanted to make a quick post and happily report that my colonoscopy yesterday went awesome! Yep, the words colonoscopy and awesome were just used in the same sentence – twice now.
There have been several hurdles that come from having a semicolon, but having a colonoscopy is not one of them. This time, the prep and clean out were pretty easy, especially since I’ve not got much to clean out these days! The day of fasting went well, I found several new updates for my Colonoscopy Survival Kit, and I had a decent evening.
The morning of the test was a little nerve-wracking, as I tried to calm my fears that Dr. T would find some sort of polyp or sign that cancer is trying to crawl back – but he found none! I even had an upper scope performed to give me a baseline scan since I’m a highly suspicious to have Lynch Syndrome, and even that was clear. Everything looked great. And to top it off, Midwest GI has switched their sedation medications to make it a better experience for patients, so I remember talking to the doctor, going to Starbucks afterwards, and even watching a movie once I got home. No more zombie fogginess embarrassment stories.
So yes, that’s my small update about my personal health. Praise the Lord I am IN THE CLEAR.
Blowing Into Test Tubes aka My SIBO Test
Last week, I had the unique experience of testing for SIBO – Small Intestine Bacterial Overgrowth. Characterized by symptoms like:Â bloating;Â gas; pain; diarrhea; irritable bowel syndrome; and other *fun* things, I thought SIBO had just become my middle name.
My friends at Midwest GI were explaining what exactly SIBO was, and suggested I take the test for it. I agreed since it seemed easy enough. I got a small kit to take home to do a breath test with simple instructions to follow. Yep, just like the cops test for booze, except this test is better – it’s testing for bacteria in your small intestine! Woo hoo!
The day before the test, I had to follow a strict diet. This wasn’t too hard, since it was basically the diet I followed post-colon surgery. I could only eat white bread, rice, meat and eggs. Here’s what my menu looked like:
Breakfast of bagels & toast
We call them "toad in the holes" (basically an egg in grilled bread)
Now, I will admit…. it started to get a little harder to follow at dinner.
Cookout! Grilled hot dogs and hamburgers
Sort of hard to pass all of this up.
I followed this diet for 24 hours before my test. Though challenging at times, I got through it. I woke up the next morning ready to dive in and blow into some test tubes!
I had to wait an hour after I woke up to begin. I started getting the preparations ready by laying out all of the kit’s contents and triple-checking the instructions. I also had to remind myself that I could not work out an hour before, nor anytime during, the test. Needless to say, I was ready to begin.
The Testing Begins
I took an initial baseline test, drank this sugary-substance stuff, and then blew into a new test tube every 20 minutes.
Halfway there!
Because I had to stay nearby, it was a great way to get some things done. But yes, after three hours of blowing into test tubes and not eating, I was ready for it to be over.
Finished!
I finished all ten test tubes and then drove it back to Midwest GI for them to run the report. Super easy, and painless. I was so thankful that I could do it at home.
In my case, the test ended up negative – I do not have an overgrowth of bacertia in my small intestine. I’m guessing more of my complications have to do with post-surgery stuff, and because I only have a few inches of large intestine, much of my digesting is taking place in the small intestine. However, for anyone who does have their entire colon and still can relate to the IBS-like symptoms, I recommend getting tested! Even if you don’t have your whole colon, it’s worth getting tested if you’re having some similiar problems like too much gas or bloating. It’s an easy test, and could be the solution to your GI-related problems.
For more info about the SIBO test, click here.
Semicolon Stories 