Get checked!

[Sandman]

My dad was the poster boy for cancer.. (he died after falling down the stairs) .. because of family history (and married to a nurse who knew how to “push” insurance company) I have been seeing specialists since age 40.. Uralogist , dermatologists and gastrointestinal .. between colonoscopies number seven and eight.. the prep is the worst part.. believe it or not the preps have gotten better over the years.. also when instructed to intake only clear liquids, Vodka is not on their approved list..

Sorry about the trooper.. hindsight is 20/20.. (I have a former boss who is terrified of someone touching his little poopie shoot. Prostate cancer got him to get a colonoscopy, prostate cut out, fart locker passed the test)

Good to hear Dave.. best of luck with the stubborn dermo issues..

[Dave Grubb]

I should have updated this

I had my third freezing this week----I am hoping this was the last because they get more painful each time. This week he really gave the one on the back of my leg a LONG shot!

The one on the front only needed a little more this visit. I am fairly confident the front will be done now but I'm not so sure of the other. I go back for a follow-up in six weeks.

I am relieved to be getting rid of them

[Sandman]

Good to hear..

I’m a frequent flyer.. a “cash cow” for the dermatologist.. go every six months (was up to three months for a year or so).. every visit results in a few freezes (really burns) and an occasional hunk lopped off..

Should have gone to Dr. Pimple Popper.. she would have flown you & Ms. G to California and made you a TV star!

Hope all heals quickly..

[UTAH]

Thinking about the thread title "Get Checked" and I should report what happens if we don't get checked.

Wifey has a sister who's a retired Police Officer. And, her sister's husband was a retired PO as well. These are smart and experienced people we're talking about here. But my BIL decided he didn't need to get any colonoscopies. So, they're enjoying being out in their class A motor home down in Mesquite NV, and BIL starts acting squirrely and goes down. He's taken to a Las Vegas hospital where he's diagnosed with brain cancer, which had traveled through his body from his colon. He died within 3 days. I had never seen a person die so fast from cancer.

Me? Like my brother, my first colonoscopy showed 2 colon tags, which were removed. Ever since then, I get a colonoscopy every 5 years. Yeah, it's not fun or entertaining, but it's the best we've got in our healthcare system.

Hunter

[FredK]

.......... Ever since then, I get a colonoscopy every 5 years. Yeah, it's not fun or entertaining, but it's the best we've got in our healthcare system.

Hunter

Got a lot better stuff to flush the system the last time I got checked. The first time the stuff tasted so awful.

On the 5 year plan myself.

[Truckman]

That means I'm about 15 years overdue for my next one......Ben

[Sandman]

Since, as mentioned before, my dad is the “poster boy “ for cancer.. colon cancer being one..

One small pleasure was driving the health insurance people crazy by my doctor insisting on me getting colonoscopy from age 40.. every three years for starters..

Trust me, the “prep” (brown bomber as they call it in Cool Hand Luke) had improved greatly.. and the anesthesia is so good that you will have no clue that the medical team going spelunking in the old fart locker.

As Hunter advised, you don’t want to have the surprise that his B-I-L had..

[UTAH]

...the anesthesia is so good...

Nailed it, my friend.

Having a colonoscopy every 5 years means going under for the procedure. On the last 3 I've felt so good afterward that Wifey and I hit a Denny's for their Grand Slam breakfast. Does it make it worthwhile - no, not even close. But, damn it, after feeling crappy going into it and then feeling good afterward is about as good as it gets.

Hunter

[Dave Grubb]

I applaud the improvement in the "prep"---it is more of a spring cleaning than the nasty experience it once was

That said, my last exam was a BAD experience. I was recovering from a very bad cold and I was wheezing. They did not want to give me anesthesia and told me I would have to reschedule---not a good option in my mind!

Ultimately, we negotiated a compromise. They would "twilight" me---kind of half asleep. In fairness, I have to admit they told me that it would be "uncomfortable". But hey----I'm a real man---I can take it However, their idea of uncomfortable is my idea of hurt like hell! If that ever happens again there will not be another negotiation. Chit on that (I know--bad pun), I will just reschedule.

I had no idea how far in that roto-rooter went---until I could track it

Once and done on that option

[UTAH]

Once and done on that option...

Yes - and here we all are discussing our modern medicine woes.

I'm betting, well - at least in my case - we would not have survived in the Olden Days. Compared to our forebearers, we now get treatment on the same level as our leaders do. And, I'm thankful to God and our society for that.

Hunter

[Dave Grubb]

The beginning of this thread is now more than a year ago---and the saga continues. I had another "freezing" on my leg---I think the 7th now. I hope this will finally end that project.

However, in the process of working on my leg I have had other "finds" which they have frozen and some they haven't. I was there most recently last week and the NP took a slice of an area on my face---similar to 4 places all on my face---and that came back as cancerous. So, at the end of May I will have Mohs surgery to treat that.

I'm not the only one in the family dealing with this---my wife has the same problem on her cheek---but she has put that surgery off. Wednesday she goes to the University of PA Hospital for back surgery---by far the most invasive thus far. They will first go in from the front and put a titanium cage around the base of her spin to stabilize that. Then they will roll her over and go in from the back and remove hardware in her lumbar that fussed 5 vertebrae and replace that with new longer hardware that will fuse 7 vertebrae. She will be in surgery 6 to 7 hours.

The past month has been consumed by visits to the surgeons (3) and a host of tests and procedures required pre-op. One of the surgeons who we met last week is a trauma surgeon---he does the "front end work". He will open her belly, move her guts to the side (at least they don't roll them out on the table) then move two arteries away from the "work zone". When the other guys are finished with the cage install he puts everything back in place, close her up and then they roll her over to begin the back entry work.

[Mike]

Wow, Dave, that is major surgery! My best wishes to a successful outcome for the both of you.

[Dave Grubb]

Thanks Mike.

[Sandman]

All the best to Ms. G.. she is facing seriously scary surgery..

I was at the Dr derm last week.. you just cured my sniveling….

[Truckman]

May the spirits of good health hover above both of you, Dave......Ben