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Doctors are surprised by unexpected stowaway during routine colonoscopy: a ladybug.

It was probably ensuring good luck for the unsuspecting patient.

Photo credit: The American College of Gastroenterology

Doctors are surprised by unexpected stowaway during colonoscopy

Getting a colonoscopy is not something anyone looks forward to doing. You have to spend three days prepping for the procedure which includes drinking a "bowel preparation solution." That's just a fancy way of saying "taking an extremely powerful laxative that will have you lying on the bathroom floor too afraid to move because you finally expelled the gum you swallowed in third grade."

Doctors and their fancy words to describe gross things, am I right? But hey, everybody poops. There's even a book about it for parents to read to toddlers who are potty training. The purpose of spending two days counting the tiles your sweat drips onto in the bathroom is to clean out your colon before doctors insert a camera to look for polyps, cancer, and other medical conditions. But when a patient went in for their appointment, doctors discovered something they didn't expect to find: a stowaway that had, somehow, survived the tsunami of poo.

The patient was a 59 year old man who was being seen for a routine colonoscopy, the procedure where they take a small camera equipped with a light and send it up to traverse the colon and large intestine. It's a procedure that becomes part of a full preventative workup once you reach the age of 45 if you're at average risk for colon cancer according to MD Anderson Cancer Center (though doctors are now recommending colonoscopy screenings begin sooner due to rising cases of colon cancer in young people according to the Cancer Research Institute).

 colonoscopy ladybug; ladybug; colonoscopy surprises; bug during colonoscopy; colonoscopy prep Urgent dash to the bathroom! 🚪🏃♂️Photo credit: Canva

When the camera rounded the bend, it caught a clear sight of a perfectly intact ladybug who, despite the likely terror it experienced, was still alive.

The findings of the patient's friendly colon passenger was reported in the 2019 ACG Case Reports Journal complete with pictures of the spotted little fella just hanging out inside a human cavity. While the doctors have no way of determining how the ladybug wound up inside the man's body, they believe it was likely swallowed accidentally and escaped the wing destroying stomach acid due to the bowel preparation solution speeding up the process. The ladybug likely felt like it was on a weird waterslide or, if it's seen The Magic School Bus, it might have assumed Mrs. Frizzle had something to do with its unexpected adventure.

 colonoscopy ladybug; ladybug; colonoscopy surprises; bug during colonoscopy; colonoscopy prep Ladybug unexpectedly found during colonoscopyPhoto credit: The American College of Gastroenterology

“The patient's colonoscopy preparation was 1 gallon of polyethylene glycol the evening before colonoscopy, and the colonoscopy examination was otherwise normal,” the authors of the journal write. “His colonoscopy preparation may have helped the bug to escape from digestive enzymes in the stomach and upper small intestine.”

If you're going to have a bug hang out in your poop chute, a ladybug is likely the preferred unexpected guest. Gastrointestinal specialist Dr. Keith Siau likes to share the things he and his colleagues have found inside patients and a ladybug is probably the least gross option for critters. He's found ants, cockroaches, and bees (yes, bees that help pollinate flowers and sting people who disturb their important business).

 colonoscopy ladybug; ladybug; colonoscopy surprises; bug during colonoscopy; colonoscopy prep Close-up of bottom of ladybug found in colonPhoto credit: The American College of Gastroenterology

People cannot get over doctors finding bugs in people's colons during colonoscopies, while others have jokes about the random bugs found inside people. One person writes, "Oh, that’s just the magic school bus. They transformed into a lady bug for the field trip."

"Don’t take it out until you play the power ball," another says.

"Taking the title of invasive species a little far," somebody jokes.

 

"So I already worry about bugs getting into my ears, now I gotta worry about bugs up my butt? I hate it here," another cries.

"I’ve always had a fear of ingesting a bug or parasite and them finding it one day. I know that’s crazy but I think about it often. Seeing this affirmed my fear of the unknown," someone else shares.

"I could have gladly lived the rest of my life without knowing this." one person writes.

Well, if you're due for your routine colonoscopy here's hoping they don't find any unauthorized critters and you get a clean bill of health.

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The perfect comic for anyone tempted to drop it all right now and see the world.

"He did not travel. He journeyed."

At 19, Patrick Joseph Falterman left his life in Houston to realize his dream of exploring the Amazon.

Falterman sold everything he owned to purchase gear and began hitchhiking to the Amazon on an incredible journey. It ended up taking two years to complete and changed his life forever. Along the way, he saw unbelievable things, met fascinating people, and yes, got into some trouble now and then (which he freely admitted). The point is that he took a chance and was rewarded with a life entirely different from the one he left behind.

In turn, he rewarded the world with an account of his adventures, complete with hitchhiking guides and detailed anecdotes that read more like a thrilling novel than a blog.

Unfortunately, in September 2016, three years after achieving his dream of reaching the Amazon, Falterman was killed in a plane crash, leaving only the stories of his travels behind.

Below is a powerful illustrated tribute to Falterman's life and memory drawn by his friend Cale:

Many of us have had moments where we’ve said to ourselves: “If I stay in this life situation, I'm going to have major regrets in 10 years. I need to get out." Maybe it's not so dire for you. Maybe you've just felt that occasional pull to drop everything and jump on a plane to a remote destination because life's gotten a little too monotonous. That compulsion to adventure is inherent in roughly 20% of all humans. It's actually in our genetic makeup.

You don't have to follow in Falterman's footsteps to set yourself free. This is just one man's unique journey. There are many different paths that can put you on the road less traveled.

It's about deciding to do that thing you've been putting off — taking yourself to a new place (literally or figuratively) if only for a day, an hour, or even a moment.

"The point is that time is fleeting, so be who you want to be, now," Cale writes in a message. No one understood this better than his friend Patrick, who had only 26 years on this Earth but always grabbed hold of each moment and lived the hell out if it.

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Got an itch to travel more? Research shows why you should go for it.

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Want to jumpstart your creativity and brainpower and feel more alive?

Raises hand. Wouldn't that be nice?

Studies suggest a way to do just that: No, it's not by drinking copious amounts of coffee. It's by going somewhere else. Get out of here!

Image via iStock.

Traveling has the power to make you feel happier and more creative. It can be just the recharge you need. But when you look beyond the passport stamps and Instagram likes, you find it goes even deeper than that.

Traveling can make a person more tolerant and more trusting. Research suggests that it can affect your overall personality too. When Julia Zimmermann and Franz Neyer did a study on a large group of German college students who studied abroad versus those who did not, they found evidence that extended travel can influence personality development. For instance, participants in their study who traveled showed an increase in openness to experience, agreeableness, and overall emotional stability.

It makes sense. When you're trying new things and engaging in new experiences, you're pushed to solve problems in different ways and gain perspective on life. You learn to confront your prejudices, embrace differences, and roll with the punches.

Your experiences mold who you are.

Expedia makes it easy and affordable to foster those experiences.

Image via iStock.

Expedia is a one-stop shop for all things travel. From flights, hotels, and rental cars to cruises, vacation rentals, activities, and entire vacation packages, they can help you easily plan for your next adventure. (The only thing they can't do is put up your "Out of Office" for you.)

And, with their rewards program, Expedia+, you earn points on your travel and can then redeem those points for future travel — aka you can save money and go more places! And they don't believe in blackout dates, so you can redeem your points when and how you like. Or you can even choose to donate your points to an awesome charity, like St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Whatever the case, Expedia wants you to experience the life you want.

Maybe you want to go somewhere with views from above...

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... or maybe you'd rather be down below.

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You can explore more landlocked areas...  

Image via Christof Stache/Getty Images.

... or not.

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Maybe you want to feel the vibrant energy from a city ...

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... or leave it all behind and take a deep breath.

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There's beauty all around us — even in places you'd least expect.

Solar energy panels in Germany. Look at the patterns! Image via Sean Gallup/Getty Images.

Traveling helps us to open our minds and see how big our world is.

You can discover new activities in a big city or practice self-care in a remote location. You can immerse yourself in an unfamiliar culture to understand a different way of life. You can travel to a different town, or state, or country, or the world's biggest mountain.

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Whatever adventure you crave and wherever it happens to be, it's nice to know Expedia will have your back. A comforting presence while navigating the unknown, with added perks as you collect rewards ... to then do it again!

Don't know where to go? You can search more than a million flights, hotels, and packages. You'll find something. And when you do, it'll be just what you needed.

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A dad took these touching photos of his 'astronaut' son exploring planet Earth.

Photographer Aaron Sheldon was at the doctor's office with his son when he stumbled onto the perfect metaphor for childhood.

"[Harrison] was scared to sit on the exam table because it's a little high upfor a 3-year-old," Aaron recalled. "So I'm talking with him about being brave, and whattypes of people are brave and have to sit on exam tables. And we'retalking about policemen and firemen and he said, 'Hey, how aboutastronauts? Are they brave?'"

Yep. Sure are.

"So he pretended he was an astronaut, sat on the table, and did agreat job."

It was there that Aaron's adorable photo project, "Small Steps Are Giant Leaps," was born.

When Harrison had to go back for another checkup a few months later, Aaron brought his camera. And a space suit.

Astronaut Harrison sits on an exam table. All photos by Aaron Sheldon, used with permission.

From that exam room, the two traveled to all sorts of new places. Like a far-off land known only as "Target."

Harrison explores the frozen-food aisle of Target.

And to a tiny indoor ocean. Otherwise known as a swimming pool.

Harrison gears up for a swim.

And to a place filled with the most fantastic creatures you've ever seen.

Harrison watches a polar bear at the zoo.

The more places they went, the more Aaron started to realize that this astronaut thing went beyond just bravery. It was about exploration and boldly venturing into unknown territory.

Which, for kids, is almost everywhere.

Even somewhere as simple as a movie theater.

Harrison chows down on popcorn at the movies.

Aaron says the project highlights just how curious his son and kids like him are about the world.

You can tell by the questions Aaron's son asks during and after shoots.

Harrison gets ready for a plane trip.

Looking at the photos "would prompt him to think of aquestion about space or photography," Aaron said. "Like, 'How do astronauts do laundry in space?'; 'Do they eat spaghetti and meatballs in space?' So that was kind of theincubator of new ideas: OK, how can we show that question in a story,in an image?"

He also wants other parents to see the photos and remember that our kids are like little Earth-bound astronauts: endlessly curious and on a mission to better understand, well, everything.

Harrison waits patiently at the laundromat.

"We need to help them be explorers inour everyday world."

When we get irritated or frustrated or exhausted by our kids (and as a fellow parent, believe me, I know we do), Aaron hopes we'll take a moment to remember what the world looks like through their eyes.

Or, in Harrison's case, their visor.

Harrison waits at the barbershop.

One day last year, Aaron and Harrison were riding around their hometown of Columbus, Ohio, on a bus. And it was a blast ... at first.

Aaron said his son was having the time of his life just looking out the window at the passing scenery. But then, "it's time to get off the bus, and he's just not listening to me and I'm starting to get a little ticked off," Aaron said.

"And I realize: 'Hey, this isn't justa bus ride for him. This is a new experience. So chill and give him acouple of minutes to really enjoy it.'"

Though the project is nearly over and Harrison will eventually outgrow his space suit, that powerful lesson will stick with Aaron forever.

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