don't forget your colonoscopy

Well, can you imagine the situation of the mailman whose route includes "Big Corp", to which all the samples are delivered, probably hundreds on any given day. Gets out of his mail truck on a hot day, lugs his mail bag filled with samples, up, up the steps to the "Big Corp" mailroom. What a crappy job. Hope he gets paid well.

Anyway, got through the colonoscopy today ok. Found/excised two polyps, neither of which looked bad to the gastro (but pending pathology). The propofol worked ok, but I was wondering why the anesthesiologist could not run a little Bacardi down the line, too.

Never did get offered the "tasty crackers" promised in the pre-op paperwork. Bummed about that, but probably not worth a malpractice lawsuit, at this time, anyway.

Post op documents say "see you in five years". Age 78 then. Hmmmmm. We'll see if/when I get there.

"I find this stuff very humorous. These guys suddenly realize that the preposterous wealth will not save them, and they will die like everyone else. So they make desperate attempts to stave it off. Or Job's arrogance leading him to believe that he didn't need to address his health issue. I have a sense that Musk may belong to this group as well. Bill Gates, I think, is more stable."

This hit me funny. I just started listening to a Bible in a Year podcast a few days ago and this morning it started telling the story of Job. Well, when I read Matt's comment it took me a minute or so before I scrolled back and re-read it and realized he was talking of the late Steve Jobs. Weird how our mind plays tricks on us.

Back to the subject at hand. STRONGLY encourage everyone to get a colonoscopy when age appropriate. My older brother is a never go to doctor type. Well, he waited until pain was too bad to ignore any further and his "stomach problems," that he oddly attributed to getting the Covid vax, turned out to be advanced colon cancer. He's had surgery and is about to start chemo. I'm no doctor but I can state with some confidence that if he had gotten a colonoscopy this would have been discovered at an earlier stage. Tell your loved ones to get all available screenings.

Ahh Job....

Calamity strikes
His wife tells him to grow up and stop sniveling
His friends come and tell him it's all his fault
He cries out to God in his pain
God says, "who do you think you are?"
He says, "Sorry, God"
God blesses him

Got my first colonoscopy yesterday. I was required to participate in a screen test of fecal hidden blood years ago but I ignored it since I was focused in my PC worries. Reckless, I know.
I had an episode of excruciating abdominal pain that lead me to the ER last August. I have abdominal X-Rays and blood test, and they said maybe gas. It was followed by three days of fever and lack of appetite. I went to a GP and a specialist. New blood test, plus urine, FIT and fecal calprotectin tests. They only detected a slightly low level of iron in blood. The specialist thought it could be diverticulitis but she insisted I should have a colonoscopy. Consistently with her first impression, they only found diverticulosis, nothing to be biopsied.
The procedure was cumbersome. Two day of low fat and fiber diet, followed by one day of only-liquids diet and another morning of getting the preparation stuff (Pleinvue, what a name). Anyway, I feel somehow released now, though I know and I have the risk of having more episodes like that.

theswan said...
I'm still resisting having one.
I have to finish up my dental implants and just maybe will have a third elbow replacement surgery and I hope I can get the courage to get one.
Had one about twenty years ago which was normal.
Basically I'm sick of testing. Greenlight laser and radiation and then SBRT and dilation of a stricture and two elbow surgery's and cataract surgery..... now several dental implants oy vey!

Glen

Glen - what I am about to say to you, I say out of love. So don't take it the wrong way....

*** is wrong with you?
Colon Cancer is probably one of the most preventable cancers in existence, and all it takes is periodic colonoscopies. Which are a big nothing burger. The worst part is the prep the day before. After that its nothing, they give you great drugs, you go to sleep , you wake up , its over.

I will never forget the day that a friend, who had recently moved from Manhattan to NC, called me. I was pulling into my driveway so I answered the phone and said, Bob, I'll call you back. His response: Ken, this is gonna be a short call, just give me a minute. I sat in the car and his words were: " I'm calling to say goodbye. I was diagnosed 2 weeks ago, after bering rushed to the hospital with an unexplained high fever, with stage 4 Colon Cancer. I was told that with treatment, the chances of my living beyond 6 months was extremely low, like almost non existent. I've decided to not treat, and they tell me I've got, maybe a couple of weeks.

This friend of mine, was one of those guys who rarely went to doctors, and had never had a colonoscopy. Thats the shame of it. This could've been prevented, he could still be alive, enjoying his family and his life. Instead, his wife is alone, and he is gone.
Do yourself a favor Don't be stupid. Get it done.

Pratoman

Thank you. I will get it done this Fall. I have a serious issue with my teeth and am stressing about it and just do not want to focus on other items right now.

my implants keep falling out. Three connected ones came out while I was asleep and thankfully I awoke before I swallowed them. One abutment and one abutment complete with the screw came out. This would could have choked me.
My dentist has three locations and is hard to track down so I often have to wait plus his one day a week office has him taking Jewish holidays off like this past Thursday
I see him this Thursday and will have to deal with *** are we going to do? I cannot have my teeth falling out!
one side is okay and he needs to put in a front crown and a front implant and crown besides either fixing for a fourth time the three rear front or just taking then out and saying forget it!

there are other issues going on and I have a lot on my plate but yeah I will get it done. Sick of the healthcare system!

My arm is unstable and I have to use two hands to eat because elbow replacement failed and revision failed and made it worse!

Its just not on top off my list of to do

glen

I just got back from the dentist. He's not in on Sunday but another one is.
He drilled out and then tightened it up.
My teeth are not flapping anymore but he didn't give me a good answer if it was a permanent fix. He just said see Dr Arsen.
Cost? OMG so far $16 thousand dollars.
I think that's the end of it. I only owe $900 left to pay.
I will get the colonoscopy in a few months. I just want to finish this dental implants treatment.
I ruminate on things so I want it over and done.
After roto rooter I'll think about a third elbow replacement. I'm leaning towards no but it's up to how much pain I can live with.
Glen

62gal said...
Had one last month. The doctor said no need for anymore. He said the stopping age is 78.

I have always wondered about that (I thought it was 75, but 78 is better). Why? Does it not matter if you get colon cancer when you are 79? Maybe the chance of getting colon cancer after 78 is generally small. But what if you have a history of growing polyps every colonoscopy in the past? it isn't gonna say, oh, he's 78, no more polyps.
Makes little sense to me.

Some are saying stop PSA testing after 70. Go figure

I see my primary Nov 7th and I will schedule one.
Yeah I am scared. The last one was around 17 years ago and it was unremarkable save for a polyp
I'll bite the bullet.
Wish I was not such a scared guy when it comes to this

Be sure and ask for the CLENPIQ solution that you drink for clean out. It's only two 5 ounce bottles and some water.

I would pay twice that amount rather than drink gallon of golytely.