monywildcat
Posts: 452
Joined: 2/26/2008 Status: offline
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My dad said that, "maybe at 50 the drs. can go at it with the roto-rooter" that had me in stitches. Then, 50 came and went. A few more years go by. "Maybe next year" Then 60. No colonoscopy in sight. Okay, okay 61. Colonoscopy. They found polyps. Turned out to be cancer. It had already spread to a few lymph nodes. The surgery was successful, the chemo didn't have any adverse side-effects, other than he couldn't drink or eat anything hot or cold. Everything had to be room temperature, otherwise it would bother him. Raditation knocked an otherwise strapping, 6'3" big-ass Indian on his ass. He was in remission for 2 years. Then, there was the follow up CT scan, the cancer had returned, and spread into the liver and more lymph nodes. Surgery is not an option. After 4 months of more chemo, another CT scan revealed that the cancer had "grown slightly". The chemo didn't shrink it, just slowed the growth. Slightly. The oncologist told my dad "enjoy your summer". Now, I am not one to dwell on the "what ifs" however I am a firm advocate of prompt screenings, if there is family history, then all the more reason to be proactive and not wait until the magic age to come up before you get the roto-rooter, or get your boobies smashed in a vise, or any of the other unpleasant, but necessary screens that may very well catch something before it kills you.
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