If not for yourself, for your family
If you’ve check out my “About Me” section, you know that we lost our 28 year son-in-law to colon cancer in December 2013. Now, his was an anomaly; just bad luck as the geneticist explained. But, make no mistake, colon cancer Is. A. Killer. But you don’t have to die from this dangerous disease; early detection is the key. If you are over 50-years-old or younger than 50 but have a family history- it’s time to have a colonoscopy. It’s truly no big deal to have this procedure. If you are in the target demo- insurance covers 100% so you have NO excuse. Here’s how my experience went:
I scheduled my appointment for a Monday morning. I did this on purpose; so I would be doing the cleanse part on a Sunday when I didn’t have to be at work. I had my last bit of regular food before midnight on Saturday night. First thing Sunday morning I started the liquid prescription I had picked up the day before. Now, this stuff IS GROSS. It’s not something you’d want to pair with a nice filet, for sure. I drank the meds and it wasn’t long before, well… you know… cleanse.
I was able to only have liquids all day Sunday. Trust me- you wouldn’t want any actual food in your system during this time. I did manage to have some wonton soup sans the wonton. I didn’t feel like eating anyway, but felt fine otherwise. I took the other medicine according to package directions. By Monday morning everything was… clear… if you know what I mean, and you KNOW what I mean. Now, one thing I should have done, but didn’t, was to drink more water. My procedure was at 11:00 am and we live about 45 minutes from the facility so I had stopped my water intake a couple of hours before the procedure. DO NOT MAKE THIS MISTAKE. This meant that the IV line they needed to insert was nearly impossible because they couldn’t find a good vein. I was dehydrated. After the third failed attempt, a good doctor was called and she managed an IV in the bend of my elbow (where they preferred not to place it) but it was in and it worked out fine.
The surgeon came in and and explained the procedure and that if they discovered any polyps, they would remove them right then and there. They wheeled me down to the OR and started the anesthesia. 5…4…3…2… and… I was back in the prep room. The Mean Man was there and said it only took about 30-40 minutes start to finish. The doctor was back in in no time with the good news. My colon got the “all clear!”
I was so ready to eat by the time we headed back to the country! We grabbed some hibachi and I happily ate my lunch from the comfort of my easy chair. I didn’t suffer any discomfort at all. Honestly. The only effect was that I was tired from the anesthesia.
BOOM. That’s my horror story. Not so bad, huh? Please, don’t take any chances; even if you’re scared. It’s better to know, even if the news isn’t what you want to hear. Give yourself a fighting chance. From my experience I can tell you, you don’t want to go through what our sweet boy suffered. He lived only 5 months from diagnosis until the day he passed. You have today. Take care of yourself.
June 15, 2016 @ 3:19 pm
God bless you and your family. I’m very sorry for your loss. My beloved grandmother (Mama to me, as she raised me) had it also. By the time they found it, she had Alzheimer’s and was unable to tell of the pain, it had spread to the lymph system. I just turned 50 but have already had a scope with polyps removed. They weren’t cancerous, but I’ll continue to be checked regularly. Your story just reminded me I need to set one up for both my husband and myself. So, telling your story makes a difference. I cannot imagine losing a child, my heart goes out to you.
June 15, 2016 @ 9:51 pm
Cindy- Thank you so much for sharing your story with me. I’m very glad you’ve been cautious and your scope allowed them to catch and remove the polyps you had. It’s such an easy procedure- there’s just really not a good reason to not do it if you’re in the demographic that needs to have it done. I did want to clarify- it was my son-in-law and not my son who passed away from this hateful disease. I know his mom and dad were so very profoundly affected by his loss. It was the most awful thing to watch him go through all that he did and to see my daughter have to deal with all of the aspects of what happened; especially since they were just so young- 27-years-old. She took wonderful care of him for the five months he lived after diagnosis. I never imagined we’d ever have to go through something like that but God definitely sustained my daughter and I know the prayers of our friends and loved ones is what carried everyone through. I’m so glad you stopped by and took the time to leave a message. Blessings to you! -Kelly