A voluntary colonoscopy

Roger was a very good friend. He was best man at our wedding and best man to our lovely daughter Hannah. We often met him in various bars in the city of Makati, Manila, fancy bars and clubs. We would often go out with him to try a new restaurant and many times we would be invited to his house for dinner, often on short notice, usually full of people and always served late, but that was fine since he was a great cook. He passed away in early August 2010 from colon cancer, at the age of 52. We miss him very much.

A few weeks after the burial I consulted my regular gastroenterologist. I told him about Roger and asked him to have a colonoscopy soon. She agreed immediately. She should have had the first one at age 50 and then every three years, she said. Heart disease, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer are the most common causes of death in men over 50, she told me.

The doctor insisted that he spend the day and night before in the hospital. He explained that the laxative was more controllable there and that I should be monitored as well.

At 8 am on the day I was going to be admitted, they called me from the admissions department of the hospital to tell me that, since there was no room available yet, I should wait at home for their call. I was finally admitted at 3pm to start a very unpleasant 14 hours. After the usual tests of my vital signs, I was handed a bottle of laxative and told to drink it all. I read the label and it was castor oil, which used to be my mom’s way of dealing with constipation when I was a kid. She gave me two teaspoons and it soon worked.

The bottle in my hand was now 60 milliliters and the first three.

I bravely swallowed it in two doses and waited. About an hour later the stomach aches began, soon followed by one or more rushes to the bathroom. This went on for an embarrassing 2 hours. My wife was there helping me but she finally called the housekeepers to clean up.

Another 60 milliliters had to be swallowed at 8 pm with the same exhausting, uncomfortable, messy results. My wife was great, she was very patient and didn’t complain.

One more dose of the same size at midnight woke me up at 4pm with a sudden bowel movement in bed. They had to call the nurses to clean me and the bed. Even more embarrassing, especially since these ladies had to strip me almost completely naked.

At 7 am my vitals were checked and I was dressed in an operating room gown and then lowered on a bed to the procedure room. I stood there, waiting for the gastroenterologist and anesthesiologist, looking at the rack of colonoscopy equipment. Then I noticed the tube that would be inserted. It was long and thick, I almost ran out.

Finally both doctors arrived and one said that he was giving me anesthesia through the IV tube already connected to my veins. Next thing I heard-

“He’s in the recovery room, sir. In half an hour we’ll get him back to his room.”

I was hungry and thirsty, but my wonderful wife had coffee and a sandwich waiting for me. It was around 10 in the morning.

About 2 hours later, the gastroenterologist came to my room.

“I had 2 polyps removed which is normal and there is a 20 cm mass that doesn’t look bad but if it is malignant it is only stage 1 cancer. Come see me in 4 days when I have the biopsy report.”

So after a few days of biting my nails I went to hear the worst or maybe the best. He said the polyps were not malignant and the mass was still benign, but needed observation. She ordered another colonoscopy in 6 to 12 months.

The following week I visited a nutritionist, a doctor who had been very helpful to me on several occasions. After studying the report he also confirmed that the mass was far from malignant.

However, he instructed me to make some lifestyle changes. Cured meats are off-limits for the time being, so favorites like prosciutto, prosciutto, corned beef, salami, chorizo ​​and bacon are off the menu. I must reduce the consumption of red meat to 2 or 3 times a month. I am taking calcium and vitamin D supplements to reduce the acidity of my blood and am now receiving alkaline water with a ph of 8.2.

I would rather make those changes than have surgery, chemotherapy and a long ending.

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