A couple weeks ago I had my 10-year “routine” colonoscopy. Except that this year, they found a polyp. According to the pre-procedure brochure I was given, polyps are “fleshy tumors which are usually the forerunners of colon cancer.”
In the recovery room after the procedure, the attending nurse informed me that my polyp had been removed and sent in for biopsy. At the mere mention of the words polyp and biopsy, my already-nauseated stomach started churning faster.
But the Internet is a wonderful resource, and soon I learned that there are many different types of polyps, the vast majority of which are nothing at all to worry about. Yet that didn’t stop me from worrying.
The bottom line, no pun intended, is that I worried for nothing. I’m fine. My little polyp was the kind that never, ever, results in cancer. I was fortunate. But if the results had come back otherwise, it still would have been in the primary stages, and totally curable.
So for those of you who’ve put off having this potentially life-saving procedure, I encourage you to get off your butts “get ‘er done.” Early detection is key to survival, and a few hours of discomfort is nothing compared to what you’ll face later on if there’s a serious problem brewing down there unchecked.
Make your appointment today—your peace of mind will be well worth it.
