Excelsior

If you're a guy consider getting a colonoscopy at least once every 2 years, at least talk to your doctor about it.
I know, most think it's to personal, disgusting, or painful. Truth is it isn't that bad and you won't even remember it.
I mention this for two reasons.

One is I was told while in the hospital how many people they have who don't come in till it's too late to do much to save their colon(or more) or worse they open the person up and find there's nothing to be done and just have to close them up again and give them the bad news. If found early there are a lot of options unless it's for example a genetic form.

The other is I just got out of the hospital last week from having mine removed. In my case it was a genetic form called FAP. They had no choice other then remove the colon once polyps appeared. Having an abdominal wound wasn't in any way fun and the recovery is slow. Now I get to go through six months of chemo which they are starting in the next fue weeks. After that they have another follow up surgery.

I've considered posting this a fue times but wasn't sure how to post it. This isn't about me or any of the things I've gone through other then to use it to help convince people to consider having this one little test. One day once every couple of years to once a year or roughly a year of surgery, recovery, chemo, etc. So instead of posting something about getting better just please consider not taking a chance of havingto go through the same or worse.

I agree, I myself am planning on having this test done soon, and I'm 26. I have a family history of cancer on my father's side of the family, and I lost my father to colon cancer. But I agree, the importance is in the consideration and hopefully going forward with these checkups, male and female. Breast screening checkups as well should be considered.

With this touching willingness to share, I can't help but be thankful for a typically overlooked thing, health. It's truly amazing how many things I take for granted, but am thankful for. Family, health, opportunity.

What are you thankful for and/or want to start becoming more aware of and grateful for?

-V

...And thanks for sharing that important message. It is a personal situation with you and it helped me think.

Thank you for sharing Kyle Morgan. Health is something that is taken for granted on a daily basis. We become more familiar and comfortable with the word, "adapt" when in actuality, those things that cause us health problems are not things we should adapt to, but instead, take action to resolve.

I had cancer myself, at the age of 18. I recovered from it, thanks to a great host of doctors who took immediate action, and most importantly, thanks to God. My prognosis based on all of the diagnostics was quite grim, and the doctors were speechless and equally baffled to discover that it was not at all what "should" have been.

I am thankful for so many things in my life, as life itself is something that cannot be predicted with absolution. I am thankful for the people that I have met and those I've been able to help.

For those who have lost:
Life is something that, for everyone, will end at some point. That point is what most of us will not know for a long time. For those who have lost a family member or a friend, my heart is with you. I have lost in my life as well, and it is a forever memory. May the memory of warmth and happiness be with you this Thanksgiving and always. Let the impression of those past live on, and the wisdom that they have brought to you continue to influence your every day.

Live your life as if tomorrow may never come. Be the best person you can be to everyone you interact with. Be selfless and kind, appreciative and respectful because you also do not know if those you interact with will be here tomorrow.

Health is the most valuable thing that you have, so treat it well.

+Rayne

Thanks Kile Morgan, Veritas and Rayne for sharing.

Kile Morgan, you will be in my meditations; may you be well, happy and peaceful.

*Hugs*

The County hospital where the surgery was done is also a teaching hospital. That means that other then my name everything about my case is out there for any doctor to review and hopefully find something useful. I'm 38 years old and they expected a much different situation then the one they found either during the tests or when my colon was removed and examined. Knowing that made it kind of hard to consider any of it personal.

I wasn't sure to or how to bring this up as the last thing I wanted to have people doing is feel sorry for me. I'll be fine, the colon is out and the abdominal pain is going down at a reasonable rate.

I didn't know this was running through my family, I don't hear anything form that side of my family. This is why it took so long for me to get it taken care of, I like to believe that had I known I had such a thing I would have had a yearly test instead of having one a couple of years back then letting it go.

When they told me what I had and after seeing others that were there for other colon surgeries I talked to some of the surgeons and found out how few came in for testing, also that quite a few would have been only a minor surgery if caught early. That bothered me and so I started asking more. I guess my thoughts showed because I was told that it's harder to get men to test then females, in fact even some of the hospital staff who should know better avoid getting tested. That if I was able to get just one person to go in for testing I should consider it a win. That and the fact I haven't had something like brest cancer is why I didn't mention it. Not that the other cancers are less important, they all are and should be tested for at the right age for your risk factors.

I m grateful for the friends I have and the people I've met who have shown concern, however I think I am past the worst part(though I may change my mind when I start chemo). I'm more concerned about the people out there who are not getting tested, who are at risk and don't know it. You may like me feel pain and think it's an ulcer and start loosing weight, or like others you may have no symptoms at all. I'm asking people to check with their family and see if there is a history of any cancer on either side. Talk to you primary care provider about getting tests done. Most importantly go through with the testing. I understand the feeling of not having anything going up the rear but in this case make an exception, you won't remember it and sometimes they can actually go through the whole system from the mouth. Trust me it is far better then having your abdomen sliced open, your colon, and perhaps rectum and some or all of the intestine removed and them miking an opening on the right side under the ribcage where they pull out a part or the end of your intestine fo be used with either a temp or permanent ostomy bag. Even the temp one means 3-6 months of having it on. Then there is going through the chemo, told mile will last 6 months of either once ever 3 weeks to once a month as apposed to once a day or week but haven't spoken to them yet. A simple test that takes usually more time waiting then the actual test, one you won't remember I think is much better then the other option, and choosing none of the above usually means you choose death.

Just please everyone consider getting whatever types of test that fit you age, sex, and any other risk factors. Also if you have a cancer history on one or both sides of your family, check if anyone had a genetic test and if not talk to your doctor about it, may not help you but you could help others in your family especially your children.

Well I read these posts and i got to thinking about my own family medical history and realized i didnt know half of my genetic history. (Bio-Father left when i was still in the womb) So, I now have an appt for a full check up and I want to thank you all for caring anough to give me that incentive. Thank you and God bless.

I'm making a change to my request. If you read this please check into your family history. Not just for colon cancer(which was what all the staff at the hospital were saying is most ignored in my county) or cancer, but anything. After 21 you should start looking into it, hopefully by then you have your own health care. Talk to your doctor and inform them of those problems as the earlier you start usually the better your chances. I became to fixated on just the one problem because of just how many people are in for the same sort of cancer that never did anything about it.

I started this back up because of a fue things. I started Chemo last wednesday and have spent a fair bit of time in there listening to the different stories of those patients. The most often phrase is "if I had checked earlier or it had been found earlier". I may even to some extent go into yet more details on how i am progressing only to convince others to do what they can to avoid this, but past a point it's perhaps morbid or whining. My oncologist who also has to play psychologist thought it was a good idea, but did not at first understand the reason. He seems to think it's good therapy for me. Also I just seem to have a partial Japanese mindset(or so some of my friends call it) and don't find it as hard to mention some of this. "Hello, how are you today?" "I am fine, except for a minor bowel problem." Yeah that's how one of my conversations started last time I was able to travel there, so I understand the comment.

You may need to keep on top of things a little more then just getting whatever tests. I was getting scopes and blood tests every year as part of a physical, yet my surgeon went through my files and could not find much of anything for the last two years. Till he spoke with me about it he thought I has stopped, now his thoughts are going in a different direction. In the last year before the surgery they did multiple scans, both upper gi and lets just call it the other "lower" one that seems to be the one that makes men mice. On two the head of gastrology and my surgeon both were there and thought they were quite through yet they all missed the one actual tumor. At least till they removed the colon. So take from that that 's poss parts of your files for one reason could go missing(second appointment to discuss results) or they may somehow get missed(you think there is something out of sorts don't just pass it off as nothing, again follow up.

Well here's something new. First my chemo treatments are on hold thanks to my two recent visits to the ER. Guess blacking out in the bathroom and a low potassium and sodium count started to scare them. Thing is I did everything they told me to do. Hydrated myself and ate the right foods. Still it trashed me. Worst thing is I went in the sun. before last till wed. They clear me to go home and two days later I'm right back in. Now it sounds like when they start my chemo back up I'll be an overnight stay. Feels like a waste of a room that someone worse might need. I was worried it was something else but the student doctor said she went through my symptoms and said it perfectly matched the list of symptoms for chemo. Now it looks like mt chemo will be two weeks behind, bothers me only because my finalized j pouch will now be further delayed. Sorry, felling sorry for myself there which isn't the point of any of this. By the by those potassium infusions burn so drink orange juice or whatever to keep it up, your muscles including you heart will thank you. Yes I'm going to use every chance to preach to ya all. People if you feel short of breath or light headed don't take chances, sit down and let whoever is near know it please.

Next is I got to see something I hadn't before because of the low counts. A doctor suggest eating things rich in salt, junk foods. Told my nutritionist to work out a high sodium diet with me from the foods I can eat, which she said she had never done before. They usually work low diets, low salt, sugar, etc... Gatorade tastes much better then when I was in high school track team. I wouldn't mind some feedback on this part as I can't think of a lot of things myself other then putting salt on my food. Eating those payday candy bars(snack sized ones) was suggested and they even gave me a couple, along with some blueberry yogurt. He biggest problem is foods discluded. Can't eat veggies with thick skins or are to fibrous or has large amounts of seeds among other things. No tomatoes so no lasagna and so on. Can have cheeseburgers and tacos also soda. Broccoli is out sadly I can live without cauliflower and squash but I love broccoli. Spinach is out, beets, carrots, they told me I can try corn and see if it blocks up my ostomy or not. Can have yams. They didn't even bother discussing alcohol as they know I rarely drank before this happened, except to suggest I could try a small amount of wine or rice wine, which I have both of for use in spaghetti sause. Can have pizza but somehow sprinkling salt on it doesn't sound so great. I have a steamer packed up somewhere so I guess I can try steaming some chicken or turkey.

Then they uncomfortable part for them. They every day hedged around asking me if i was depressed. Feel bad about how I acted about that one after a while but they should just come straight out and ask. Do you feel depressed? Do you feel suicidal? Like If they leave right then would I smash a window and jump. Kept telling them to just ask, then I went through the list and the answers before they even asked. Yes I'm depressed, because I'm stuck in the hospital. The room is to cold because the thermostat doesn't work and I'm catching a cold, the light for the shower is out and has been for three days, I fill out my menu every day and never get what I can eat even when the nurse calls down to get a corrected meal which takes an hour to get to me, and when I brought this up to my last nurse he told me if I didn't like how the hospital was run perhaps I should go to another. Do I feel like taking a header into the front entrance, no but I do feel like tearing apart you computers so they actually work for a change and you don't hat to resort to going back to my paperwork folder which now has to weigh five pounds and then perhaps I could get food I can actually eat. At that point they stopped being so worried about it and were more blunt.

I wouldn't worry about the bed - most of the beds in a hospital are only filled half the time.

Personally I'd love to stay on top of my health but it's impossible without health care...and while I'd like to avoid starting a political discussion in your well-intended topic...if this country wasn't so conservative I probably would have it by now. Many people out there can't afford to stay on top of their health, so those of you that can should feel lucky. I haven't seen a doctor for a routine checkup in over 8 years, thanks to none of my jobs offering insurance.