As a colon cancer survivor I am well familiarized with "The Colonoscopy". This wonderful screening technology has saved many a butt, including mine!! The Colonoscopy is one of the recommended approaches to finding out what’s going on in your colon.
I have my colonoscopies in the “Minimally Invasive Surgical Suite” at my local hospital. “Minimally invasive” is a questionable term to describe the insertion of a six foot hose, complete with lights, camera, air and water jets, and surgical “snippers” into ones anus, up the rectum, and through the sigmoid, descending, transverse, and ascending colons, to map the inner regions of the bowels. Whew… Minimally invasive indeed!!
Actually, to be totally honest, the colonoscopy is a very simple, safe, and effective procedure. It’s done under a mild sedative which leaves you semi-conscious. I don’t remember my first colonoscopy at all and I have only vague recollections of seeing the viewing monitor during my second one. With a colonoscopy the doctor is able to visually inspect the lining of the colon, take samples of suspect tissue, and remove small polyps. It is really the best way to identify and analyse potential problems in the large intestine.
There’s lots of good information on the net about the colonoscopy. If you’re interested you could start with Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonoscopy . For an online tutorial on the colonoscopy check out Medline Plus at… http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials/colonoscopy/htm/index.htm.
And for a humorous look... check out the awesome clip below!!
It’s not easy to talk about medical issues going on below the belt. We are unnaturally uncomfortable with the language that describes these “nether regions”. When we talk about our head we’re quite at ease with speaking of the eyes, ears, nose and throat. But when it comes to the lower GI tract we get a little tongue-tied. Get over it!! And get your colonoscopy… today!!
TTFN… Rob; in Vancouver
"Cancer of the colon and rectum often causes no symptoms, especially at first. Regular screening is the best way to prevent colorectal cancer."
No comments:
Post a Comment