Tears of Relief, Tears of Sadness and Joy, Tears of Diagnosis Past and, Realities of Today

Today, July 7th, 2023 is one day past my 7-year anniversary of my Surgeon, Dr. Ahearn, telling my loved ones that he found a spot in my liver while performing a hemicolectomy to rid my body of cancer. Colon cancer that is. Today, I had a cat scan to see if I still show no disease evidence. I just read the results and ta-da, I am still cancer free. not really, I will never be cancer free. When I left the Imaging center, I got in my car and began to shake. I called Jim and he said all the right words. While at the imaging center, I met a woman in year two of stage four cancer and she high-fived me when I told her my story and then told me about her fight. They called her name to go for her blood work and I was left alone for just a moment. Two friends came to the waiting room, both born in 1943 they learned. Coincidentally, the woman I had spoken with earlier and I had the same birth year. One of the two women spoke to her husband’s colon cancer. I was called for my blood work. While in the waiting area for my CT Scan, the woman I overheard in the first waiting room came in to wait for her friend. Once she was settled, I told her I had overheard her and asked if her husband was still with her and she told me no. She told me that he had not gone for his colonoscopy in a timely manner. She shared with me that he had been a fireman and had listened to horror stories about colonoscopy prep. We certainly had that in common. Her husband has passed and he always regretted not going for his colonoscopy sooner. I do too folks, and I hope this message will inspire you to schedule yours if you are 45 years old or older.

Yes, I am cancer free, but not really. I will never be cancer free. I was reminded of that today when I set in my car and cried. I am grateful to be alive, I am grateful to be NED, but mostly, I wish I had gone for testing as scheduled to prevent having to answer yes on every medical form that I had cancer. A life lesson I have learned, go for the tests folk. Colonoscopy prep is better than chemotherapy. The benefits of timely colonoscopies are, early detection if cancer is present, a really clean colon, and the best sleep you have ever had in your life. Please be brave and get your booty checked. You are worth it.