BOTTOMS UP - A BELOW THE BELT COMMENTARY ON A SENSITIVE ISSUE...BUM PLUG #3

April is the month that finally awakes a sense of coming alive after the seemingly endless days of burrowing inside under the warmth of snug blankets or cozy sweaters, venturing outside only when we need to or when we reach the point where "cabin fever" is about to send us over the edge. When April comes we want to break loose and explode out of our cocoon to enjoy the fresh air and the great outdoors while witnessing the newness of nature budding out. We search out the signs that spring is really here, from the singing of the birds and spring peepers to the new shoots...and yes, even those weeds... bursting from the soil. We have a powerful urge to get down and dig and plant and create.

One of the first affirmations that spring has arrived is the blooming of one of my favorite flowers, the daffodil, usually by mid to late April in our area. Its timely arrival in April makes it the appropriate flower to represent the Canadian Cancer Society's annual fund raiser for cancer research. This year, April 27th has been marked as "Daffodil Day" in support of anyone struggling with cancer or suffering the loss of a loved one from cancer.

Another date this month, April 29th, is on everyone's mind for other reasons as they await the Royal Wedding of William and Kate, and while I will be checking in mostly to see "the dress", my thoughts on that day will also be with my mother who would have been 82 had she not died at age 47 of bowel cancer.

Ruth Marie (Wile) Hiltz

April 29th 1929 - Nov. 28th 1976

Paul Merrill Hiltz

Nov. 28th 1926 - May 8th 1997

The 29th is also time for me to post the third in a series of what I call “Bum Plugs” in my effort to spread the message of the importance of early colon cancer screening. Having a family history of colon cancer, my mom at 47 and my maternal grandfather at 50, puts me in the high risk group for getting colon cancer. But knowing my family history also means that regular colon screening every five years or less is available to me and all seven of my siblings, and that is very reassuring. A new gasterologist in our area who focuses mainly on colonoscopies has shortened my wait for a colonoscopy from what usually takes up to two years from time of referral to just two short months. I encourage everyone, especially if you have a family history of colon cancer to ask your family doctor about screening. Don't let embarrassment put you off...live your life...get tested...and please copy and paste this badge to your side bar with a link back to this post.

COLORECTAL CANCER SCREENING  

Live Your Life, Get Tested!

The Scoop On Colonoscopies!

What happens before a colonoscopy?

The day before the procedure is a day of fasting, no solid food, only clear liquids... and nothing red or orange for obvious reasons. Next comes the hard part and there is no way to sugar coat it… it is just plain nasty!!!!

Your doctor will have already given you instructions on what to pick up at the pharmacy and you should have these already on hand. In my case I was given the choice of either “Pico-Salax" or the prep of his preference "Colyte."  Eager to please the Doc, I chose the Colyte over the Pico-Salax (will not be doing that again) which involves mixing the Colyte crystals with four liters of water and drinking it all over a period of four to six hours. While it didn't taste bad, it had a thick slippery texture that was not to my liking and I managed to down only three liters over a six hour period...but enough to do the job. For past colonoscopies I used Pico-Salax and it wasn't bad at all...there is only two glasses of citrus flavoured prep to drink plus lots of water. Whichever prep you choose, they both have the same result...within an hour you start to shit...lots...and lots...and it will last the next few hours.

The day of the colonoscopy…

The day of the colonoscopy you will check into the day surgery department of the hospital. You will be given a beautiful johnny shirt to wear and a housecoat (another Johnny shirt to tie in the front) so your ass is not exposed, paper slippers for your feet and a blanket to cover yourself while you wait. When it is time for your procedure you be taken to the room where the colonoscopy equipment is set up and be given a pain reliever and a sedative intravenously (in your vein); you will feel relaxed and somewhat drowsy. You will lie on the left side, with your knees drawn up towards your chest. 

What happens during a colonoscopy?

During a colonoscopy, the physician uses a colonoscope (a long, flexible instrument about 1/2 inch in diameter) to view the lining of the colon. The colonoscope is inserted into the rectum and advanced through the large intestine. A small amount of air is used to expand the colon so the physician can see the colon walls. This is the only time you will likely ever be told that it is OK to pass gas...it will make you feel better and helps the Doc to get a better view. You may feel mild cramping during the procedure; cramping can be reduced by taking slow, deep breaths. The colonoscope is slowly withdrawn while the lining of your bowel is carefully examined. Some people dose during this procedure but I was wide awake and I didn't feel a thing.

If necessary during a colonoscopy, small amounts of tissue can be removed for analysis (a biopsy) and polyps can be identified and entirely removed. In many cases, a colonoscopy allows accurate diagnosis and treatment of colorectal problems without the need for a major operation. The procedure lasts from 30 minutes to one hour. 

What happens after a colonoscopy

You will stay in a recovery room for observation until you are ready for discharge. You may feel some cramping or a sensation of having gas, but this quickly passes. You will probably let one rip but you won’t be the only one so don’t be embarrassed. You will be offered a muffin and tea or coffee before you leave…take it… after almost two days of nothing to eat, the carrot muffin and tea I was given was divine. A responsible adult must drive you home; avoid alcohol, driving, and operating machinery for 24 hours following the procedure. Unless otherwise instructed, you may immediately resume your normal diet, but it is recommended you wait until the day after your procedure to resume normal activities. 

If polyps were removed or a biopsy was taken, avoid taking aspirin, products containing aspirin, or anti-inflammatory drugs (such as ibuprofen [Advil®, Motrin®], naproxen [Naprosyn®] or indomethacin [Indocin®]) for two (2) weeks after the procedure to help decrease the risk of bleeding; you may take acetaminophen (such as Tylenol®) if needed. If a biopsy was taken or a polyp was removed, you may notice light rectal bleeding for one to two days after the procedure; large amounts of bleeding, the passage of clots, or abdominal pain should be immediately reported.

Three of my sisters and me have had colonoscopies in the past month or so and two out of four have had polyps detected or removed and will have to go back for a follow up visit. I was one of the lucky ones and will not need another colonoscopy for five years. Although the procedure itself was a piece of cake the prep was not pleasant… but when I consider what it must like to battle colon cancer I won’t complain.


For more Information on colon cancer you can check back to my earlier post, 

BOTTOMS UP - A BELOW THE BELT COMMENTARY ON A SENSITIVE ISSUE...BUM PLUG #1

or 

 BOTTOMS UP - A BELOW THE BELT COMMENTARY ON A SENSITIVE ISSUE...BUM PLUG #2

 or check out the  Colorectal Cancer Association of Canada web site.

Fasting...but not in my mind!

A day of fasting in preparation for a scheduled colonoscopy for the following day did not dissuade me from checking out a new recipe passed on to me from my daughter. While I enjoyed my green tea, I was really craving the mouth watering, melt in your mouth chocolate goodness of these Fudgy  Coconut Flour Brownies. My daughter made these in place of a cake for my birthday a few weeks ago and I know they will become a family favorite...in fact, they are on the menu for our Easter meal. She found the recipe at Always Order Dessert by Alejandra Ramos. Check out her blog...there are oodles of wonderful recipes.

BOTTOMS UP - A BELOW THE BELT COMMENTARY ON A SENSITIVE ISSUE...BUM PLUG #2

This is the second of a series of annual plugs— “Bum Plugs” —addressing the importance of colon cancer screening that I will be posting every April 29th (her birthday) in honor of my Mom who died November 28th, 1976 at the age of 47.

Very few of us
are blessed with
smooth firm mounds
like these
unless you are pumped full
of as many chemicals
as this processed
piece of meat.

Most of us
fall
into the
"flat ass" category

or...

the
over sized
dimply,
whoa...
"thats some big ass"
category.

We're all human but each of us are unique in that we all come in different sizes, shapes and personalities...that's what makes life so interesting, but we all have asses and we all use them for the same thing, sitting, removal of bodily waste, and OK... if you have a nice one you probably use it to draw attention to yourself... and I'm sure you can come up with other ways to put it to use, but this is not that kind of blog.

So, if we all have asses, why are we so intimidated by the process of having a rectal exam by a professional physician? I mean...have you taken a good look at your doctor's ass lately? Why do we let embarrassment keep us from asking for what could be life saving screening?

Anyone is at risk for bowel cancer and there are usually no symptoms until the cancer is advanced, so early screening is very important. Anyone 50 years
(I personally feel 40 is not too young) should speak to their doctor about having a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy done and anyone with a family history of colon cancer should start screening 10 years before the earliest colon cancer diagnosed in a first degree relative.

Because our mother died at 47 and her father at age 50, my entire family has regular colonoscopies, as does my 28 year old daughter who was diagnosed with Ulcerative colitis in her early 20's ( people with Crohn's disease and Ulcerative colitis have a high risk of getting colon cancer so it is very important that they be screened regularly).

For more information on Colon Cancer read:

BOTTOMS UP - A BELOW THE BELT COMMENTARY ON A SENSITIVE ISSUE

and

http://www.medicinenet.com/colon_cancer/article.htm

So, don't let embarrassment sign your death sentence...buck up...get tested!

And please,
help to spread the word by pasting
"Live Your Life...Get Tested"
to the side bar of your blog
and link it back
to this post.

BOTTOMS UP - A BELOW THE BELT COMMENTARY ON A SENSITIVE ISSUE

This is the first of a series of annual plugs—call them “Bum Plugs,” if you will—addressing the importance of colon cancer screening that I intend to post every April 29th as a birthday gift to my Mom who died November 28th, 1976.

Had she lived, my mother would have turned 80 today. She died at the young age of 47, leaving behind my Dad and eight children. Diagnosed with cancer in the spring of 1976, she underwent a vaginal hysterectomy which we were told “got it all.” So why was it that she was back in the hospital by October for removal of part of her bowel and dead by the end of November?

Being only nineteen at the time, I accepted the explanation, that she had cancer of the womb that had spread to her bowel and liver. It was not until my sister was diagnosed with breast cancer twenty years later at the age of 36, that I started doing some research on cancer and asking questions. From my reading, I learned that no two cancers are the same (i.e., breast cancer cells are different from lung cancer cells, uterine cancer cells are different from cervical cancer cells, etc.) and that if breast cancer spreads to your lungs you do not now have lung cancer but you have breast cancer with metastases in the lung. I also learned that you can have two different cancers at the same time, that there were no screening tests to detect cancer of the uterus, and that the pap test only detected cervical cancer.

The fact that my mother was diagnosed after having a pap test meant that she must of had cervical cancer, not uterine cancer, as I had always believed. I needed to know more. Was it possible that she may have had both cervical cancer as well as bowel cancer? After an unsuccessful attempt, due to a twenty year time span, to gain access to her medical records through her doctor’s office, I wrote to the VG Hospital in Halifax (now The QE 11) and was able to obtain copies of her hospital medical reports.

As it turned out, she did have “Carcinoma in situ” of the cervix, and medical and biopsy reports showed that the cancer was removed with no evidence of invasion. With instructions for post op check ups every four months for the first two years, every six months for the next two years and annually thereafter, she was sent home to recover. Optimistic for her complete recovery, we were devastated when, just seven months later, she was back in the hospital and diagnosed with colon cancer with several metastases in the liver and omentum. One month later she was gone.

But now we know!

So, what does this mean for me?

Power! Although I often joke that “Ignorance is Bliss—the less you know, the less you miss,” knowledge is a powerful tool. Knowing my mother’s medical history (as well as her Dad’s who died of bowel cancer at age 50) allows me to take control of at least one aspect of my health and well-being. My family history means I have a much greater risk for colon cancer than the general population, but through lifestyle changes and routine screening I can greatly reduce my chances of dying due to colon cancer. Lifestyle changes such as regular exercise, reducing consumption of red meat and fats (while substituting them with good fats from fish, olive oil, avocado and flax etc.), reducing consumption of processed “convenience” foods, and increasing the fiber in my diet through grains, fruits and vegetables can be beneficial.

Not only reducing my risk for colon cancer, lifestyle changes reduce my risk for heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and numerous other diseases, as well as help control my weight. It’s a win- win situation. Although one cannot foresee what lies ahead . . . I might get hit by a truck tomorrow . . . I feel very confident colon cancer will not be in my future.

Anyone is at risk for bowel cancer. There are usually no symptoms until the cancer is advanced so early screening is important. Anyone 50 years (I personally feel 40 is not too young) should speak to their doctor about having a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy done. Anyone with a family history of colon cancer should start screening 10 years before the earliest colon cancer diagnosed in a first degree relative.

Don’t let embarrassment dissuade you from getting tested. I’ve had two colonoscopies to date and they are not that bad. I think women are more open than men about speaking to their doctors about this issue partly because they are more in tune with their health, and partly because after childbirth and years of pap tests they have lost a lot of their inhibitions. So, for all you men breaking into a
sweat at the thought of having
a scope up your ass. . .

“BUCK UP BUTTERCUP.” Do yourself a favour . . . GET TESTED!

SOME FACTS ABOUT COLON CANCER

Diet and colon cancer
Diets high in fat are believed to predispose humans to colorectal cancer. In countries with high colorectal cancer rates, the fat intake by the population is much higher than in countries with low cancer rates. It is believed that the breakdown products of fat metabolism lead to the formation of cancer-causing chemicals (carcinogens). Diets high in vegetables and high-fiber foods such as whole-grain breads and cereals may rid the bowel of these carcinogens and help reduce the risk of cancer.

Colon polyps and colon cancer
Doctors believe that most colon cancers develop in colon polyps. Therefore, removing benign colon polyps can prevent colorectal cancer. Colon polyps develop when chromosome damage occurs in cells of the inner lining of the colon. Chromosomes contain genetic information inherited from each parent. Normally, healthy chromosomes control the growth of cells in an orderly manner. When chromosomes are damaged, cell growth becomes uncontrolled, resulting in masses of extra tissue (polyps). Colon polyps are initially benign. Over years, benign colon polyps can acquire additional chromosome damage to become cancerous.

Ulcerative colitis and colon cancer
Chronic ulcerative colitis causes inflammation of the inner lining of the colon. Colon cancer is a recognized complication of chronic ulcerative colitis. The risk for cancer begins to rise after eight to 10 years of colitis. The risk of developing colon cancer in a patient with ulcerative colitis also is related to the location and the extent of his or her disease.

Genetics and colon cancer
A person's genetic background is an important factor in colon cancer risk. Among first-degree relatives of colon cancer patients, the lifetime risk of developing colon cancer is 18% (a threefold increase over the general population in the United States).

Even though family history of colon cancer is an important risk factor, majority (80%) of colon cancers occur sporadically in patients with no family history of colon cancer. Approximately 20% of cancers are associated with a family history of colon cancer. And 5% of colon cancers are due to hereditary colon cancer syndromes. FAP (familial adenomatous polyposis) is a hereditary colon cancer syndrome where the affected family members will develop countless numbers (hundreds, sometimes thousands) of colon polyps starting during the teens. Unless the condition is detected and treated (treatment involves removal of the colon) early, a person affected by familial polyposis syndrome is almost sure to develop colon cancer from these polyps. Cancers usually develop in the 40s. These patients are also at risk of developing other cancers, such as cancers in the thyroid gland, stomach, and the ampulla (the part where the bile ducts drain into the duodenum just beyond the stomach).

AFAP (attenuated familial adenomatous polyposis) is a milder version of FAP. Affected members develop less than 100 colon polyps. Nevertheless, they are still at very high risk of developing colon cancers at young ages. They are also at risk of having gastric polyps and duodenal polyps.

HNPCC (hereditary nonpolyposis colon cancer) is a hereditary colon cancer syndrome where affected family members can develop colon polyps and cancers, usually in the right colon, in their 30s to 40s. Certain HNPCC patients are also at risk of developing uterine cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, and cancers of the ureters (the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder), and the biliary tract (the ducts that drain bile from the liver to the intestines).

MYH polyposis syndrome is a recently discovered hereditary colon cancer syndrome. Affected members typically develop 10-100 polyps occurring at around 40 years of age, and are at high risk of developing colon cancer.

For more information visit:
http://www.medicinenet.com/colon_cancer/article.htm


If you found this post informative, check out my post MY TAKE ON THE LATEST EMAIL "SIGNS OF OVARIAN CANCER"