One of my colleagues has been much braver than I. She's actually obeyed her doctor's orders to have a colonoscopy just to make sure everything's all good in there. Well, I've been getting the same instructions for years and promptly ignoring them just because I don't like the sound of such a disgusting test. Who thinks up these things? You want to take a camera and do what with it? Oh, yeah, that's happening.
Well, she came to work bright and chipper yesterday and swears it was nothing, zip, the easiest invasive medical test she's ever had. They put her out; she didn't feel a thing. In fact, she's feeling really good, exceptionally good, which she's crediting to having her system "cleaned out." Another colleague piped up that he'd had the same procedure awhile back and he, too, felt strangely good afterward. They even gave her a picture.
(Could it be there is something to all that colonics nonsense that I've been laughing at for all these years? Well, I'm not about to find out, but it does make one wonder.)
All that is just to say, if your doc says you need the exam, don't do as I do, do as my braver, smarter colleagues do and do as Katie Couric does. Have it. They swear it's a breeze and oh, yes, it might save your life.
From USA Today: "Currently, the American Cancer Society recommends that average risk individuals begin screening at age 50, because 90% of colorectal cancer happens after that age. But unfortunately, fear and ignorance about colonoscopy screening prevent far too many Americans from getting examined. As a result, colorectal cancer is the second-leading cause of cancer deaths for Americans. While nearly 150,000 people will be diagnosed this year with the disease, more than 56,000 people will needlessly die of colorectal cancer in 2004."
Guess I'd better wise up and make that appointment.
"Another colleague piped up that he'd had the same procedure awhile back and he, too, felt strangely good afterward. They even gave her a picture."
"He" felt strangely good afterwards, then they gave "her" a picture? Is this a potential side-effect of the procedure that we guys should know about?
I've had this test. The preparation is the problem, not the test. I also got a picture. I was allowed to eat jello beforehand, as long as it wasn't red. So lime jello it was. The picture looked like that of an aging Martian with lots of green showing. To everyone: Got to take these tests if we want to finish out the fullness of our lives.