Kevin Means
Site Team
In the last month or so, I've been unable to post much due to a totally unforeseen health problem, and I wanted to post about it here, because I want my fellow RVers to benefit from my experience.
I'm 59 and have always been blessed with excellent health. One morning about a month ago, after returning from Quartzsite, I started experiencing extreme pain near my left kidney. It was debilitating. A few hours later, a CAT Scan revealed a 3 mm kidney stone, and it ended up passing on its own. The CAT Scan, however, also revealed that my colon was inflamed near the same kidney. The doctor said it was probably caused by irritation from the kidney stone, but suggested a colonoscophy, just to be sure.
About 8 & 1/2 years ago, I had had a colonoscophy when I turned 50. I was given a clean bill of health and told to return in 10 years for another one. Even so, I decided to follow the doctor's advice and get another one now, just in case. Sure enough, the inflamation turned out to be colon cancer.
Last Friday, the tumor and 20 partially inflamed lymph nodes near it, were surgically removed. About an hour ago, my doctor called and said the biopsy revealed no sign of cancer in any of the nodes. In other words, it hadn't spread. I beat it.
I am a person of faith, and there's no doubt in my mind that the kidney stone (my first ever) was put there, so the cancer could be detected much earlier than it otherwise would have been. It likely saved my life. One important point I want to make is this... I had absolutely no symptoms of colon cancer - nothing - even looking back on it. Apparently, that's not unusual.
So if you're overdue for a colonoscophy, do yourself a favor and go get checked. Yeah, prepping for it ain't no fun, but at least you'll have some peace of mind. And who knows... it might just save your life. Now, I'm back to RVing.
Kev
I'm 59 and have always been blessed with excellent health. One morning about a month ago, after returning from Quartzsite, I started experiencing extreme pain near my left kidney. It was debilitating. A few hours later, a CAT Scan revealed a 3 mm kidney stone, and it ended up passing on its own. The CAT Scan, however, also revealed that my colon was inflamed near the same kidney. The doctor said it was probably caused by irritation from the kidney stone, but suggested a colonoscophy, just to be sure.
About 8 & 1/2 years ago, I had had a colonoscophy when I turned 50. I was given a clean bill of health and told to return in 10 years for another one. Even so, I decided to follow the doctor's advice and get another one now, just in case. Sure enough, the inflamation turned out to be colon cancer.
Last Friday, the tumor and 20 partially inflamed lymph nodes near it, were surgically removed. About an hour ago, my doctor called and said the biopsy revealed no sign of cancer in any of the nodes. In other words, it hadn't spread. I beat it.
I am a person of faith, and there's no doubt in my mind that the kidney stone (my first ever) was put there, so the cancer could be detected much earlier than it otherwise would have been. It likely saved my life. One important point I want to make is this... I had absolutely no symptoms of colon cancer - nothing - even looking back on it. Apparently, that's not unusual.
So if you're overdue for a colonoscophy, do yourself a favor and go get checked. Yeah, prepping for it ain't no fun, but at least you'll have some peace of mind. And who knows... it might just save your life. Now, I'm back to RVing.
Kev