Colon Health Awareness Month

At the end of 2013, Joe went for his routine physical.  During the conversation with his primary care physician, the topic of Joe's last colonoscopy came up.  It had been 10 years which is the interval to have another.  

The first week of January, Joe did the dreaded prep and went for the colonoscopy.  A normal colonoscopy take 30 minutes.  After sitting in the waiting room for an hour and a half, I figured something was up.  After the procedure, the doctor told us Joe had a large polyp and he removed 70% of it.  The biopsy indicated that the polyp was pre-cancerous, so the doctor recommended that Joe have the right side of his colon removed.  

So, Joe had surgery on March 10.  The pathology report was negative with no signs on cancer.  And he is recovering nicely.

Here he is with his nurse tech and two student nurses.  

March is Colon Health Awareness Month.  Although none of us enjoy the prep for a colonoscopy, Joe is the perfect example of why it is important to have the routine check ups.  I am so thankful for perfect timing and that his results were negative.