I don’t usually comment much about my own medical conditions or situations. But for good reasons, I’m making an exception.
I had another colonoscopy today. I’ve lost count of how many I’ve had, but this was at least the fourth or fifth. In 1998, Today Show host Katie Couric lost her husband to colon cancer at the age of 42. Not long afterwards, Couric took on the cause of educating people to the dangers of colon cancer and the importance of getting colonoscopies. I listened. I learned. Most importantly, I acted.
In general, I learned that colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of death in our country. I learned that early detection is the key to saving lives. If caught early, it is easily treatable or better yet preventable. If not caught early, there’s not much that can be done. All of Katie Couric’s millions of dollars and contacts in high places could not save Jay Monahan, her beloved husband and father of their two children.
Heredity is one of the factors contributing to colorectal cancer, and unfortunately family history is not on my side. My grandmother died of colon cancer, and though he died of other causes, we believe my dad also had colon cancer.
There are so many things in this life that we have absolutely no control over, but I realized back then that I could take control of whether or not I would follow the best medical advice on how soon and how often to be screened for this killer. I was at the age when screening is recommended. To me it seemed like a no-brainer. Get proper screenings, catch potential problems in time, and live; or wait too long and have a significant risk of dying unnecessarily.
Sure enough, my first full colonoscopy revealed pre-cancerous polyps, which were easily removed as part of that procedure. That meant that I would need to be tested more often, and I have. The good news is that I’ve been polyp and cancer free the last couple of colonoscopies, including today. That means I’m probably safe to wait another five years before my next one.
Not to be overly dramatic, but I can’t help but wonder if I’d still be around to have this one today if I hadn’t started when I did.
For what it’s worth, having a colonoscopy is probably not as bad as you may think. The worst part is usually the prep day that includes going on a clear liquid diet and drinking a large volume of a diarrhea inducing solution to clean out your colon. This day before procedure has been improved each time I’ve done it, and this time really wasn’t that bad. The colonoscopy itself is quick and painless during and afterwards. I was put to sleep for a very short time, and within 30 minutes of the screening was enjoying a meat and three late lunch at Wade’s Restaurant. I even felt good enough to stop and buy a new Christmas tree for the kitchen on the way home.
So why am I making an exception and writing about this? Quite simply, I’m sure I have friends and acquaintances who need to be screened. The life you save may be your own. To widen that perspective, more so than saving my own life, I want to save the life of my wife’s husband, my children’s father, and my grandchildren’s grandfather.
While I was sitting in the waiting room today, a very good friend called to see if I wanted to meet him for lunch. When I explained why I couldn’t join him today, he admitted that he was now at that age when he needed to get a colonoscopy, too. I encouraged him not to put it off.
I encourage you to do the same. Do some research. Get educated. Even if you’re not at the age where you need one now (it can vary depending on various factors), you probably know and even love someone who needs to get with it before it’s too late.
It’s an easy way to help save some lives.