Newsletter #3
Spring break, colonoscopy results, and a busy week in the news.
Hello from spring break in Indiana!
We escaped from Virginia for a week to visit my parents, sister, and her family in Indy. For any fellow Hoosiers, I spent the first 10 years of my life in Broadripple, moved away for my dad’s job, then returned for high school, but in Carmel. I got my B.A. from Indiana University in Bloomington (HOO HOO HOOSIERS!) before moving out to Washington, D.C. in the early 2010s.
We’ve spent most of the week enjoying home-cooked meals and being lazy, both of which were much needed after three months of going through the overseas screening process, making and going to medical appointments, filling out paperwork, getting no-fee passports, taking cats to the vet to begin quarantine, booking flights and movers, etc., etc.
I also finally heard back from my doctor on my colonoscopy results. There is good news and bad news.
The bad news (I always give the bad news first!) is that of the three polyps he removed, two were pre-cancerous. Here’s the breakdown:
- 5 mm polyp in transverse colon (fragments of tubular adenoma)
- 7 mm polyp in cecum (fragments of sessile serrated adenoma)
- 5 mm polyp in ileocecal valve (no adenomatous cells present)
The good news is that they were all benign (not cancerous), completely removed, and the doctor was not concerned, as “these are common and routine findings” (his words). He told me I don’t need an in-office follow-up visit, and I can wait another 3-5 years for my next colonoscopy. My plan is to definitely go back on the earlier side of that.
Still breathing a huge sigh of relief that I decided to go through with the procedure. Get the damn colonoscopy!
Wishing a happy Passover to all who celebrate, a happy Easter to all who celebrate, or a happy weekend to all who celebrate! ;)
Yours in floating,
Emily
** A humble reminder that my writing is how I support my family. I intend to keep this Substack completely free for now, but any paid subscription is always SO appreciated.
What I’m reading:
My parents still get a paper delivered most days, so I’ve been reading that this week. Surprising to no one, picking up a newspaper and sitting down with a cup of tea to read scary headlines is much better on my nervous system than scrolling my phone late at night in bed.
It’s been a busy week. Here are a few of the stories I’ve been following:
Hegseth Fires Army Chief Among Battle With Its Leaders
Trump fires US attorney general Pam Bondi
Kristi Noem ‘Devastated’ by Report of Husband Bryon’s ‘Double Life’ Dressing as a Woman
Mike Johnson will wait on holding a vote to fund DHS
NASA’s Artemis II has left Earth’s orbit, and 4 astronauts now head to the moon
What I’m watching:
Next week is the season finale of Shrinking and I’m not ready. I think I may have convinced my husband to get HBO MAX so we can finally join the rest of the world in watching The Pitt.
What I’m eating:
It wouldn’t be a trip back home without a visit to the Original Pancake House. It’s a tradition for my family to eat here for special occasions (my son’s birthday is coming up).
What’s making me happy:
Hailee Steinfeld and her husband, Josh Allen, welcomed their first baby girl!
Hilarious ‘Bro Cruise’ Saga Goes Viral on Threads (Who else had been following this Thread???)
Homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
Homemade matzah ball soup
NASA astronaut Christina Koch fixed the Orion spacecraft’s toilet, earning the nickname “The space plumber.” I love women in STEM!
The anticipation of tomorrow’s SNL skits.
Easter candy
What’s making me ragey:
Stomach bugs (both my parents have come down with one this week, and I’m waiting to see if it hits anyone else, ugh).
Whatever the hell that address was on Wednesday night.
The amount of $$$ I’m paying to ship my cats overseas this summer with a courier (hoping my sanity will be worth it).
From the internet:
Bro cruise kept me unreasonably entertained last weekend. 😂
That sounds like a good week!