"Well Doc, what, uh....how bad"?
"I don't know yet".
"We'll operate and take a look, won't know till we know what kind we're dealing with, could be good or bad news, we'll just have to see,,,,Monday all right with you?"
Have you ever had a conversation like this. I did ten years ago. He just got up and walked out of the room. I nearly fainted. I made it to the pickup. I then nearly fainted again. The treatment was grueling. He said "you've got the right kind of cancer to have, we'll be giving you a curative dose of chemo, you'll probably think we're trying to kill you but we don't get a chance to 'cure' a lot of people, you'll be fine".
Now, the reason I tell you this is, I was listening to a lady from the American Cancer Society yesterday. She was being interviewed on the radio. She said of everyone over the age of 50, in the state of Nebraska, only 27% have had a colonoscopy or have been checked for colon cancer. I didn't have colon cancer, but I got to thinking that since polyps take several years to go from baby polyps to pre-cancerous to cancerous, wouldn't it make you feel really stupid, if at the age of 60, some Doctor sets you down and says, "you've got a blockage, a cancerous mass that we must remove, and if you survive the cancer, you'll need to wear a bag the rest of your life,,, sorry to have to tell you that".
If you and or your spouse are 50 years old, talk to your Doctor. Get it done. If you can't afford it, do it and figure out later how to pay for it. It was 1996 when I had mine done. Nothing was found, so they said do another in 10 years. If they find something this time, they'll likely shorten the duration a bit. Do it. It'll give you something to blog about. If you don't really like your spouse all that much... look at it this way, it could give you many extra years to argue with them.
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15 comments:
I pick THIS day to try and catch up.. thanks that was pretty good!!!!!
nice one cliff...good reminder to the folks out there...
and I am glad you beat your cancer.
my grandpa had colon cancer last year..he is 87..he is fine now..
my mom had breast cancer..she is fine now..
so people if you get checked, you can beat it..dont be shy or you will die..thats my moto:)
I had to go to the emrgency room in June of 1997 due to sever abdominal pain. I ended up staying in the hospital about 6 days while they prodded and poked to try to figure out what was wrong. In the end I had a referral to two new doctors, one of whom was a gastroenterologist. In a follow up visit, he felt it was important for me to have a colonoscopy, so I did. They found several polyps, one of which was a very nasty cancerous polyp that they were able to remove. I have had numerous follow up colonoscopies and all of them have shown me to be free from polyps. I was very lucky that I had that abdominal pain and the trip to the hospital. That problem was totally unrelated to the polyps, but connected me to the physician who found them. Otherwise, I could be dead now. I now only have to be checked about every four years.
Thanks for the post, Cliff.
Cliff,
I had a colonoscopy a few years back. My oldest sister had polyps so they suggested we all get checked out. It was totally painless and I didn't remember or feel a thing.
Good Public Service Announcement.
Good post on a very TOUCHY suject Cliff.
Cliff, I also urge people to get checked, every year in an annual physical. Take blood work, that too can be the defining factor in finding certain types of Cancer. My husband's Multiple Myeloma was found because of a blood test, one that he was required to go for for his job! Thank GOD for the silly blood test, or he would have never been on the road to remission! It could have killed him and we wouldn't have known it was there!
Get Tested! And not just men either! Thanks for the post Cliff, and the sounding board, you are great!
Good advice. BTW, I like the USS Constitution model. I have a similar one of the Cutty Sark that sits on my desk hutch - it was my dad's. Nice one.
Great post Monk, er..I mean Cliff!
This is a great reminder for everyone. So glad you beat your cancer. Colon cancer is a bad one if not caught in time. Well, any cancer is bad if not caught in time, but colon cancer kills lots of folks.
Good advice for everyone. Better safe than sorry!
Cliff
Good reminder. There is nothing more fun than . . . well, maybe there is.
By Rachels comment I am assuming a lot of Monk e-mails went out last night. It's okay. I can see you setting there, laughing, with each and every one you sent.
Ralph
yes yes...I love the monk e cards..I nearly wet myself;)
and i dont normally have a bladder control issue;)
Ain't no one operating on me! I'll treat it my own way (and did...and do).
I'm so glad you beat cancer!!! I've lost several loved ones to that wretched disease, so I always rejoice when I hear about people who beat it.
Thanks for reminding us all to see our docs and have tests done. Women often put off their female exams for years. We really need to do whatever we can to catch any signs of cancer early. You are proof that cancer can be beaten.
When it comes to spouses... we'd all rather argue with them than have to bury them.
What great words of wisdom.
I lost my Dad to cancer when I was 10. He was 34 years old. What a terrible waste of a life.
Take care
Sis died after 10 yrs of gut pain...Sigmoidoscopies only. Lasted a week after 1st Colonoscopy found it throughout the gut. Wasted life.
Step son just had a 6" long 4" wide 'Polyp' taken out, after 4 yrs of gut aches. Take P.Bismol, said the Dr! Finally changed Dr & got a colonoscopy! Benign! Amazing.
Don't let them put you off. It's YOUR LIFE!!
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