“Because of digestive problems, on the advice of my allergist, I made an appointment for colon cancer screening earlier than generally recommended, when I was in my late 40s. For a while, I reacted violently to various foods. The intestine then became very hard and firm in some places. My allergist said it would be good to check this out with a colonoscopy.
Precancerous condition: Polyp found and immediately removed
Many people can hardly imagine anything more unpleasant, but I was pretty relaxed myself. And the examination actually wasn’t bad. The last thing I remembered was being given the anesthetic into the pre-placed cannula in my hand and immediately I was “gone”. I only came to in the recovery room and there was a coffee and a biscuit. I was fine, I felt fit.
In the conversation that followed, the doctor said he had found a polyp about two centimeters in size and removed it straight away – a common procedure. The histological findings were detailed in the doctor’s letter that arrived in the mail shortly afterwards. The polyp was benign – that was the important information for me. Plus the recommendation that the doctor gave me after the examination: I should come back after two years.
During the next examinations there were again abnormalities
This time there were actually three abnormalities that were found. So-called plate adenomas, which are comparatively thin on the intestinal mucosa and are apparently not that easy to remove. The procedure was exactly like last time: the removed cells were sent to the laboratory. Another letter gave the all-clear: no malice. Not yet? My doctor had told me that the growths they found had a tendency to one day turn into cancer. That made me think. The current finding had no consequences and was not worrisome. Not acutely, anyway. But in the longer term…?
I’m not the type of person who gets involved in anything; when in doubt, I always see the glass as half full. I’m fine, everything that could have become critical one day is gone – or so I thought. After another gap of two years, I went back for colon cancer screening last fall. The result was a surprise: five adenomas! The doctor who examined me was also surprised because it usually takes a very long time for polyps and adenomas to grow. For this reason, to be on the safe side, I should come back after almost a year.
“How fortunate it is to have the possibility of early detection”
On the one hand, this is unpleasant, but on the other hand, one should be aware of how lucky it is to have the possibility of early detection. Instead of worrying about further possible negative findings, I make the best of the situation. For example, I’ve been taking particularly good care of my intestines for some time now. I recently returned from a six-week stay in Bali. Asians eat warm for breakfast. Rice, soups, steamed vegetables. This is the purest blessing for my intestines.
I’ve known for a long time that I tolerate warm food particularly well. Porridge with warm fruit, for example. In fact, my stomach hasn’t been as tight and hard for a while now. I don’t know whether this protects my intestines from further tumors, but I can say: Since my first colonoscopy, my awareness of this important organ – which is responsible for much more than just digestion and has an enormous influence on our overall well-being – has increased. sharpened.
For that alone, for the quality of life gained, it was worth focusing more on the intestines. And it was also worth it considering my environment. I encouraged a friend to go to colon cancer screening. Similar to mine, she had polyps found and removed immediately. The friend is otherwise not much of a precautionary person. She says she is grateful for my aggressive approach to the issue. This in turn encourages me to tell my story to even more people and perhaps even indirectly save one or two lives.”