The Strength To Fight Cancer

So many of us go through life at Mach III with our hair on fire and we do not take the time to take care of ourselves or listen to our bodies. I hear some many people (men are the worst) say that I feel fine; I don’t need a check-up.

You need to have a check-up with your doctor when you feel good. Not when it’s too late and you no longer have the strength to fight cancer.

True story: I know this guy that came home from work one day in September doubled over in pain in his stomach. Finally got sick and said I’m ready to go to the emergency room now! Once there the surgeon on call decided that his appendix was the problem and it needed to come out.

At the end of that surgery the doc said you might think about having a colonoscopy. This guy was only 49 at the time. Most doctors don’t recommend a colonoscopy till at least age 50, unless you have a history of colon problems in your family.

Being a male as he was, he thought that all is well and went on. Well he did not get better and his body was telling him something was not right yet. He did not listen. Then blood started showing up in his stole once in a while then more often.

One a January day (5 months after the appendix surgery) we was working cutting a wind row down to build a barn and did not have the energy to go for more than a half hour at a time without taking a break. Little did he know his hemoglobin was now less than 9 and would eventually get down to 6.1 and it should be above 14.

Long story short he schedules an appointment with his family doctor who put him through a colonoscopy, CT scan and P.E.T. scan. And on February 5th tells him he has colon cancer. If that was bad enough the colon cancer had metastasis to his liver an advanced to Stage IV.

Yep that guy was me. Had I not been afraid or whatever the emotion was to just go and talk to my doctor when I had the strength and was feeling good, things may not have gotten so far out of hand.

So, I ask you please see your doctor for your annual check-up while you do feel good, so you can keep feeling good.

If for no other reason than self preservation, or at least do it for the people that love you. I have sense put my wife and family through 3 major surgeries and 12 chemotherapy treatments in the past 12 months. I have lost 2/3rds of my colon, gallbladder, had complete kidney failure, pneumonia, 10 days total in intensive care, lost over 40 pounds in weight, and over 65% of my liver is now gone. All because I was too thick headed to just go to the doctor and have everything checked out.

So, again please take the time to have a check-up with your doctor while you have the strength to fight and keep feeling good.

Till next time, Enjoy the Day!