This is sort of a strange way to begin my blogging for 2008; but I have a very good reason.My sister had a routine colonoscopy recently during which they discovered a large precancerous nodule. She had not had any discomfort or bleeding; she was just doing the right thing to take care of her body. She will have laparascopic surgery to remove the nodule, sections of colon on either side of it and some surrounding lymph nodes. Doctor says it was caught early and he's predicting a good long life for my sister (she's younger than I am by four years).
A little more than 52,000 people lost their life to colon cancer in 2007. I hope you won't be a victim of this terrible disease in 2008 or any year beyond.
If you are older than 50 than you should have a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy. I had one at 50 and another at 60. My next one is when I'm 70 unless something happens in between that causes me to think I need one earlier. The preparation for the procedure is worse than the procedure itself.
I will climb down from the pulpit now. I just hope that everyone reading this will resolve to take care of his or her body the best way possible. That means a mammogram, PSA test, Pap smear, blood work and colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy. The life you save might just be your own.
