Some Tests Are A Pain But Necessary

Yup, they are, and the one most of us dread and unfortunately sometimes put off is the colonoscopy. I had missed a couple of years until last year when my cancer was found. So I've been having quarterly blood tests and had another (1 year later) colonoscopy a few days ago. All is well. As a matter of fact the results were great and my Dr. & Surgeon said 5 years is fine for the next one. He was happy and so was I.

It's interesting the conversations that take place in the pre-op area as people wait for their turn. People sharing fears, discomfort from the prep or eagerness of sorts to get things done. Sometimes stories of early detection like mine, surgeries and family histories. Bad jokes and references to body parts and bodily functions creep in along with nervous laughs. People of all ages, talking to each other, family members, nurses and Drs. Some people are there for the first time and others, like me, are seasoned participants. As always, great nurses make a world of difference and they always seem to be there.

When its over and people are still a bit woozy, pie-eyed, etc. first timers become more confident and everyone anticipates the results and report from the Dr. In most cases reports are fine. A polyp here, a polyp there, removed and sent off for testing. But there are different results. The ones where the Dr. tells the patient that there's something that really doesn't look good. That was my result last year although it was even more blunt. It was stated pretty confidently that there was a cancerous tumor on my colon. But yesterday was different, for me anyway. My Dr.'s euphoria, thumbs up and big smile was a welcome site. Me? I was still enjoying the drug induced state and so looking forward to a nice lunch.

The real point though is, these little inconveniences are important and necessary. When you consider the potential consequences of doing nothing or putting it off for a little longer, the prep, the conversations, the procedure itself are really not that big a deal. So get it done when its due. It really can save your life.