By Brandon Case
Pratt Columnist
Special to the Tribune

While it’s no one’s idea of a good time, my recent visit to the PRMC Surgicenter to undergo a colonoscopy and endoscopy was a good experience, overall.

While prepping for this medical procedure was not much fun, the friendliness of the Surgicenter staff, upon my arrival, made it all much easier to bear, especially after I found out that I had to undergo some additional prep work before the colonoscopy could be performed (can you say, “Won’t you be my frenema?”).

My experience from arrival to departure is that I was treated kindly and made to feel comfortable—not like a clinical object to be processed through.

After being wheeled into the procedure room, where I had been forewarned that it would be cold, a warm blanket was laid upon me, which kind of felt like a warm hug and reassurance that all would be well.

Another nice touch was that the person I spoke to while drifting off into anesthesialand was the same one who spoke my name and welcomed me back to the land of the living.

All in all, the Surgicenter staff, with Dr. Joseph Brungardt at the helm, is a good choice for your colonoscopy or endoscopy. Nobody wants to do one, but, after you finish, it’s great to hear the words, “Come back in 10 years.” Hopefully that will be your experience also.

The procedure itself is nothing compared to the road you must take to get there.

I wish I could remember everyone’s names involved to thank them personally for their part in the process. I can only recall Amy, the experienced RN (35 years at PRMC, if I remember correctly) whom I saw several times before the procedure.

Compared to my last colonoscopy, 10 years ago, there have apparently been advances in the use of anesthesia. This time, I woke up clearheaded and could easily walk, after being discharged, not like the stumbling drunk experience of 2016. On the trip home then, my wife had to pull me back from stepping out onto Highway 54, with traffic coming.