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I've been saving this thread for after the election, but who knows how long that will take.
Please, in your charity, read and RT this. You could save someone's life.
Please, in your charity, read and RT this. You could save someone's life.
COLONOSCOPIES ARE SO IMPORTANT. In mid-October, my mother requested an elective colonoscopy. This decision may have saved her life. Doctor was shocked to discover a very small (1.25 cm) malignant tumor on her colon. For some perspective, median colon polyp size is ~4-5 cm.
My mom is female and Caucasian. She is also extremely fit and healthy with no pre-existing conditions, making her a seemingly unlikely candidate for colon cancer. We have no known family history of colon cancer, and neither do the vast majority of colon cancer patients.
And despite being totally asymptomatic, she did have a very small cancerous colon tumor. And because she wasn’t sick, a colonoscopy would have been the only way we would have discovered this. She was asymptomatic, so screening was all she had.
Within 9 days of receiving her results (and in the midst of a pandemic!), she had surgery to remove the cancerous spot on her colon and confirm there was no spread elsewhere. We are so grateful for the quick response from her medical team!
In just a week and a half, she went from having cancer to being cancer-free. Stage 1 colon cancer has an EXCELLENT prognosis, and given her strong health profile and other demographics, she's in a good position to be around for decades to come.
Early stages have much smaller rates of recurrence and don’t need more than a surgery. That means those who catch a cancerous polyp early avoid more aggressive treatments, have a really high rate of long-term survivability and are less likely to get cancer in the future.
Because my mom was so diligent about her health, she will get to see her son get married in two months. She will have the holidays with her family. She will see my daughter - her first grandchild - born. And she will be with us for many years to come.
I won’t lie: the diagnosis is scary. I’ve cried a lot, and spent dozens of hours researching. But it’s a lot scarier if it’s discovered later. My mom’s going to be OK because she had the good sense to get a colonoscopy. I am so grateful for that.
Colon cancer develops very slowly. It can take 10 years for a polyp to become cancerous. The vast majority of colon cancers are preventable and curable if they’re caught early. Still, it is the third largest cause of cancer fatalities in America.
So a regular (every 5 or 10 years, depending on your history) colonoscopy is a valuable tool to ensure that cancers don’t happen or are treated so quickly that the patient has a positive prognosis.
So I beg you: get your colonoscopy! 1 in 3 Americans who should just don’t. I know it’s not the most fun thing in the world, but the peace of mind - and the ability to take steps necessary to protect your health - is so worth it.
Your loved ones want you around for a very long time. Getting a routine colonoscopy gives them - and you! - that gift. Please, schedule one if you’re due (or past due) and encourage your family to do it, too. https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/8-reasons-to-get-a-colonoscopy-its-really-not-a-big-deal/
