March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month

[brianw]

A subject near and dear to me.

If there is just one thing you and yours can do proactively it’s this !

Because of a relatively simple test I am celebrating my 25[SUP]th[/SUP] birthday this year.

I’m sure a lot of you are saying “that old codger is 25?” Yes it’s true because 25 years ago I beat colon cancer. And the only reason I am here today is because of a Colonoscopy and being aware something was just not right.

I have had a yearly colonoscopy since that fateful day. It is so easy and not painful. There really is no excuse.

To kick the month off lets have a little contest…

1.Check with your doctors, and if they are suggesting (50 yrs old or a family history?) let’s get scheduled.

2. Schedule a 'scope

3. Post in this thread- I am scheduled!

4. Get this cool badge

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5. Get a chance at a prize of a …….

150.00 Gift Certificate at West Coast Shaving
(to be drawn on or about April 1st)

For all of you who have had your scope in the last 4 months -You are also eligible to win!


​

My yearly is scheduled for Wednesday, so I got one of these great tags, if you have had a Colonoscopy and post about it- you qualify for a badge also!

Who’s with me?

(Remember, it’s important for significant others too!)

Colon Cancer is really easy to beat when caught early a 90% cure rate.

Do yourself and your family a favor and get checked out.


​

 

[luvmysuper]

What's up with the Check 6 Tags?

For those who may not know, Check 6 is fighter pilot speak for "There's an enemy behind you"
Rather than a message of doom, It's a message from a wing man who's trying to look out for you.
With this message, and proper action on the part of the recipient, this warning precedes reducing that enemy to smoldering ruin.

As March is colorectal cancer awareness month, we thought it would be appropriate, because we ought to fight this enemy like it's a flesh and blood entity out to destroy us.
It's a way to effectively say "Check 6 - there's an enemy behind you, and you need to take action here, right away!"
Ignoring this warning means there's a chance that enemy will take you out.
We are all each others wing men here. So this is a message to all our B&B brethern; "Warning my friend. Take proper action and defeat this foe".

We thought the obvious parallel between ""enemy behind you" and colorectal cancer awareness was a way to bring a little touch of humor to a tough subject.

We received an e-mail from the Media Affairs manager of the Blue Angels - premier fighter pilots by anyone's definition. That e-mail said, in part;

Sir -

Thank you for contacting the Blue Angels. As a team of active duty Sailors and
Marines, we also thank you for your mutual service to our country as well as for
your incredible and worthy work raising Colorectal Cancer Awareness next month.

Again, thank you for your service, your support of naval aviation and the Blue
Angels. We know you've got our 6.

So, go out and spread the word. Go out and get yourself checked. This enemy can be beat. All it takes is a warning from a wing man, and taking action on it.

The result of ignoring the message can be as devastating to any of us as it would be for a fighter pilot in the midst of battle.

 

[njpaddy]

My father died of colon cancer at age 50, so I get one every 5 years. So far the doctors haven't found any reason to get them more frequently. I'm not due again until next year. It's pretty easy these days as many doctors do it in their own surgery center and you avoid the hassle of the hospital. My last one I was in and out of their clinic in less than an hour. There is really no excuse to put it off.

 

[syngent]

I hope a lot of people get on board with this one, Not just for the chance to win a great prize, but for the chance to save their on lives

And congratulations on the 25 Brian

 

[Toothpick]

Congrats brianw!

I'm 29 but I had an "upper and lower" done 5 years ago. I checked out ok.

This is a great thing B&B and the MOD team is doing.

I was asleep for mine, but I think that was primarily because the doc did the upper as well. But i'm sure it's an option for those of us that would feel more comfortable asleep during the procedure.

 

[andrew98]

Congrats brianw!

I'm 29 but I had an "upper and lower" done 5 years ago. I checked out ok.

This is a great thing B&B and the MOD team is doing.

+1. Congrats Brian!

-Andy

 

[bill w.]

Quick true story,
My mom wasn't feeling well one entire summer .
She would blame her upset stomach on all kind of things.
In the fall of the year on morning her legs and ankles swollen very bad.
At the time she was 47 years old never sick a day in her life.
She was diagnosed with colon cancer .
She went thru surgery ,6 weeks of radiation , and 6 months of chemotherapy. They removed so much of her colon she was placed on a colostomy bag.
The doctors gave her 2 years to live . The docs kept saying if you only came in sooner .

Well thank God that has been 13 years ago .
Mom has had her struggles but we are thankful she is still here.

I had my first colonostomy at 28 years old and they found a polyp in me which was removed.
I am 35 now and yes ......I AM SCHEDULED .

Please get checked I have seen the hell my mom went thru
I would not wish that on anyone

Please please ask your doc about screening.

 

[luvmysuper]

I put this off and put this off. It scared me. I didn't want to admit that, but that's what it was.
I said it was that I was busy at work and didn't have time. I said I'm fine, there's no need for this.
But the truth is that I was scared to do it.

Thank God I have a persistent SWMBO who would not let me rest a moment until I finally broke down, scheduled it and had it done.
In fact, I went for broke and had a endoscopy scheduled at the same time.

I heard scary stories about the preparation phase. Bah! It was nothing. The worst part of the preps is that I couldn't have snacks after 6 pm the night before the procedure.

I went in, and had all my vitals taken, was given a hospital gown to wear and had an IV tap put in. Painless so far.
I climbed up on a gurney. They wheeled me in and attached my IV tap to a drip.

The Doc came in and said he was ready.
I made a joke to the Doc - "Hey Doc, make sure you do the endoscopy part first, ok?" (yuk yuk)
The Doc said "You know I've heard that joke 5000 times, right?"

The Anesthesiologist told me "You're going to feel warm for a second, then you're going to drift off to sleep."
I said "ok" and then I woke up in the recovery room.

After about 15 minutes to make sure I was fully awake, they let me get dressed, and the wife drove me home. I felt fine. No discomfort. I wasn't drowsy.
If I wasn't there myself, I would have bet that nothing at all had happened.

They removed numerous polyps from me. The Doc said that really, I had gone too long before having the colonoscopy done, and I was a lucky man.

Please fellas. Have this done if you're in the age group or have a family history.

 

[Reckoner]

Had mine today, my first at 28 for some trouble I've been having. Thankfully my colorectal surgeon is a riot and she had me laughing the whole (hole?) time she prepped. As she was wrapping up and filling out my chart she said my tush looked good and if everybody else's looked the same she'd be out a job, which would be fine by her. Count me in for a badge.

Truth be told the procedure isn't that bad and knowing the alternatives are much worse makes it even easier. Glad things worked out for you, Brian and Bill.

 

[Dave258]

Congrats on the 25 Brian! My Mother-in-law works for a Gastro Doctor, and as Toothpick said, anyone can choose to be asleep for the procedure, in fact most people do. Even the night before prep has gotten better. Now there is no reason to put it off any longer!

 

[brianw]

Good Stories Guys..... Good on You Bill and Reckoner.... Youse guys will sleep easy tonight !!!! I do every night.... I can truthfully say I was cured.

 

[NCJack]

Been getting them since age 50 or so. I had an aunt who died of colon cancer and YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO THAT WAY!!! Sign up today

 

[syngent]

Sorry to hear about your Aunt Jack, Glad you do what you can to protect yourself, and thanks for sharing

 

[mretzloff]

As a 22-year-old, I feel discriminated against for not being able to have such a nice badge


Just kidding. Thank you for taking care of yourselves, gentlemen

 

[Boro62]

I am in! just got this done in january

 

[brianw]

Amen Bob.... What are all youse out there waiting for

Someone once said it sucks being 50 as he was complaining about his aching knees. Worse then being 50 is not ever being 50 !!!!

 

[mdevine]

Everyone should have a baseline colonoscopy by age 50. However, if you have a first degree relative with colon cancer, you should start getting colonoscopies at an age 10 years younger than that relative was at the time of diagnosis (or at 50 if that comes first). There is also genetic testing that may be indicated. Talk to your physician about colon cancer screening. If he or she doesn't bring it up, ask them. If they don't get you set up, find a new doctor. Few cancers can be prevented, but colon cancer often can be. The simple process of removing polyps during the colonoscopy can prevent it. While not every polyp turns in to cancer, most every cancer starts as a polyp. This is one area where I practice what I preach. Having gone through it, I can attest that it was fast and painless. There is no good excuse for avoiding it, but if you don't get it done, at minimum you can do yearly fecal immune testing. This requires sending a stool specimen to test for small amounts of blood.

Mike

 

[redrako]

I had my first colonoscopy about seven weeks ago at age 51. Despite my Doctor addressing the issue at my annual physical at age 50, between a computer issue and addressing some other minor medical stuff, between he and I we didn't get the referral. So when I saw him this past fall, I asked him about it again. He mistakenly thought that I was concerned about the side effects of the pre-treatment clean out and I explained to him that the real discomfort was the idea of having to listen to my wife quietly, but persistently urging me to get a colonoscopy for another year.

The pre-treatment is really not all that bad, drink one portion of "clean-you-out stuff'", go to the bathroom, go to study read some B&B - repeat until you've drunk it all..

The good news is that I could now tell my wife that indeed my head is not up there!** The other good news is that I had 6 polyps, 5 of them -pre-cancerous, so I'm now on the get checked every three year plan. The other good news is that my Colon doctor was pretty good looking and had a good sense of humor to boot.

A word of advise, schedule your exam for a Monday so that you can do your cleansing on a Sunday night.


** credited to Dave Barry's article about Colonoscopy humor.

 

[Doc226]

Only 42 so don't need one, no family history so I am good there.

When I turn 50, you bet I will be getting one. Both my parents get them every 3-4 years as they always find benign polyp.

 

[Ollie4ISU]

Excellent advice here guys. My dad is a 13 year colon cancer survivor. He had to have 10 inches of large intestine removed along with some nearby lymph nodes. He is a lucky man and I am thankful my mom MADE him go get checked. I learned from that and had my first colonoscopy at 41. It was clean, but I will make sure I get one regularly. It really is a simple procedure that can save your life. Just make sure you do it.