"Colonoscopy? Aaaargh!!!"

Don't be worried by the title! That's how I felt before I had to go for my colonoscopy today.

I chose to go to Grantham Hospital, I definitely made the right choice. I can only say that ALL the staff in the endoscopy department were wonderful!

I didn't know what to expect but I had read all the horror stories on the internet. It really couldn't have been a better experience. (OK, so it's not very nice having a tube, with a camera in, stuck up your bottom, but they made it seem 'easy'.)

The nurses were wonderful, they didn't make me feel awful for being rather/very overweight, and that is something that I fear, even though I shouldn't. They explained everything to me about the procedure, made me feel relaxed. I didn't feel that I was 'just one of a number', or that I was being rushed through.

As for cleanliness: one of the nurses laid out my gown, but when she came to take my blood pressure she trod on the bottom of it, I thought nothing of it, but straight away she put in the bin to be washed and brought me a fresh one. She was wonderful - I didn't ask her name but I wish I had. She signed my consent form, J Topliss, so BIG THANKS to her for all of her other kindnesses too.

In the 'procedure' room the endoscopist Mr (or it might be Dr?) Szekely was so calm and kind. I had the sedation, I'd recommend it to anyone, I was still able to watch what was going on, and take it all in, but it meant that I felt much more relaxed about it, I had 6 biopsies taken, and it really didn't hurt.

Afterwards I was allowed to rest for as long as I wanted, was offered drinks and biscuits, and then my husband was phoned to come and pick me up. Now I'm home and typing this, feeling fine. Absolutely fantastic treatment!