Out out darn spot

Just a quick update to all of you since I realize that the last post was pre-colonoscopy more than a week ago and you may be wondering how it all turned out.  

Good news and bad news.  Which do you want first?  Let's tackle the bad news right up front first.  The bad news is that they found two polyps during the scope. I unfortunately was so drowsy from the sedative that although I was watching the procedure (or at least parts of it) on the video screen whilst laying on the table I wasn't coherent enough to ask Dr. Springer if these polyps were new since last March or could they have been in there and he couldn't manoeuver the scope to that area of the colon last March when he found my original tumour as it was blocking the upper part of the colon.   I will have the opportunity to ask Dr. Springer when I consult with him in a couple of weeks to discuss the scope.


And now for the good news...and let's really focus on that.  He / they removed the two polyps.  Good-bye!!!! See ya!  Didn't want you around anyway.  Damn polyps.  And even more encouraging is that Dr. Springer and the attending nurse both said to me after the procedure that they didn't look troublesome, rather benign actually, and that the rest of my colon looks pretty good.  Awwww shucks.  I guess all that purging the days beforehand  really made my large intestine look good.

I've said it more than once...and I will say it again.  They can remove 13cm of my bowel but they cannot remove my wit and sense of humour ;-)

And as you may recall I am working with the Canadian Cancer Society to get the message out...get screened...get informed...stick it to colon cancer.   Especially to all my friends 50 and over, @cancersociety is reminding you get checked this #ColonCancer awareness month! http://bit.ly/W8x9L4

Make your bottom your top priority. Talk to your doctor about getting checked for colon cancer every two years, once you turn 50. Getting checked for colon cancer could be as easy as taking an at-home stool test (also known as the fecal occult blood test – FOBT). 

If you’re at high risk for colon cancer, talk to your doctor about other colon cancer screening options. High-risk individuals include those with a first-degree relative (parent, sibling or child) with colon cancer and other factors such as inflammatory bowel disease (ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease). Visit stickittocoloncancer.ca for a list of some of the risk factors.