That first time, I had to:

1. Drink a liter of liquid laxative (sodium citrate, I think it was), once in the morning and once in the evening
2. Take six (6) laxative pills (Dulcolax, I think), one every four hours
3. Insert two laxative suppositories, one in the early afternoon and one before going to bed
4. Give myself an enema at noon.

During this entire time I was on clear liquids, not to mention the toilet.

It really was about as civilized as it can get this time: 4 pills all at once in the morning, another pill at 3:30 p.m., two quarts of PEG (polyethelene glycol) at 4:00 p.m. There was little cramping; it was more like turning on a faucet.

And I was, according to the doctor, "clean as a whistle inside."