A Certain Age
“Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear.”
-Ambrose Redmoon
There is an expectation that nearly 50,000 men and women will die this year from Colon Cancer. The incredible thing? Those numbers are gradually coming down through efforts of screening and taking a more proactive approach towards preventative care. The numbers are still staggering as there are expected to be over a 100,000 new cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed this year. Colorectal cancer is the 2nd leading killer for both men and women when it comes to cancer and I still just find these numbers mind boggling. It is recommended that people get screened for this when they turn 50 years old by having a colonoscopy. It is also recommended that if you are diabetic or have other gastrointestinal issues, you might want to have a screening sooner than later. The question many might have is what exactly is a colonoscopy?
As outlined by the Cleveland Clinic, “During a colonoscopy, an experienced doctor uses a colonoscope (a long, flexible instrument about 1/2 inch in diameter) to view the lining of the colon. The colonoscope is inserted into the rectum and advanced through the large intestine. If necessary during a colonoscopy, small amounts of tissue can be removed for analysis (a biopsy) and polyps can be identified and entirely removed. In many cases, a colonoscopy allows accurate diagnosis and treatment of colorectal problems without the need for a major operation.” There is prep work before the colonoscopy and there is recovery time after the procedure as well but the procedure on the whole usually takes less than an hour. What physicians are looking for are polyps because these bits of tissue can turn cancerous over time under certain conditions. As more and more people get screened, issues are caught sooner thus giving people a better fighting chance to overcome colon cancer if it is discovered.
I chose the quote at the head of this post for the reason that self-examination or preventative care can be a frightening affair. More times than not, there is nothing there but the fear that is associated by going for a cancer screening is still prevalent, “…what if they find something, what will I do then?” Knowledge is power, knowledge can give hope, knowledge can help overcome…I’m sure you’ve all heard the phrase that, “Knowing is half the battle.” With any battle there is fear…but courage is looking at that fear and then doing what needs to be done anyway. Cancer is a bastard of an illness and it doesn’t care who you are, what color you are, what your orientation is, where you go to the bathroom, who loves you, or your economic status…it kills without judgment…it kills without prejudice…it just kills.
Being a man of a certain age, I will be going in for my first colonoscopy next week. Am I a little nervous? You bet. Would I rather take care of things now so I can spend more time on this planet of ours playing with my kids and watching them grow up? Absolutely! I’m going for a screening because it’s the right thing to do…I’m not saying that I’m the courageous one…but I know too many people who fight with cancer every day, those beautiful people are truly the courageous ones! Some will win and others will fight until the very end but we must all do our part to prevent and someday cure this illness.
As always, thanks for reading…sorry to hit you with such a serious topic on a Monday but cancer doesn’t care what day of the week it is…so fight back! If you have and comments or questions please email me at wmreid@bhcshealth.comI hope everyone has a good week and remember to take care of yourself and each other, remember, we’re all in this together.
Wm Reid
Best Home Care Services
325 N Eastern Ave
Connersville, IN 47331
765-827-9833
wmreid@bhcshealth.com