The Absent Uncle: More about ‘putting it off’
I wrote an article earlier this month about ‘putting it off.’ Time to ‘fess up and tell the whole rest of a different and very personal story about that very subject.
Back in September of 2020 my Primary Care Provider (PCP) ordered a test sent to me that would result in me finding out if I was at risk of colon cancer and finally to get me to schedule a colonoscopy that I had been putting off for about five years.
She was very right to force my hand by having this test sent to my home and requiring I returned it promptly or would suspend my regular prescription refills.
Those results started a process of further testing, evaluation, and ultimately a serious surgery resulting in the removal of approximately half of my colon.
I had put off a simple colonoscopy that would have detected a growth in my colon that could have been removed simply in a routine procedure, that instead was allowed to grow to such a size that the surgery was complicated (eight hours), certainly increased the risk of having cancerous develop that would have required radiation or other types of post-operative treatments, and resulted in re-routing my digestive track and greatly shortening it. It could have resulted in the worst case of a colostomy bag having to be worn for the rest of my life.
All the result of “putting it O-off”.
I was blessed, fortunate, and because of my pushy (and caring) PCP, the story has a wonderful ending. Add a skilled surgeon to the list of my health angels looking out for me.
No colostomy bag, no dangerous radiation treatments, no diet restrictions, and a digestive system that works more quickly than before but is still very effective.
Also, earlier this month I had my third colonoscopy since the surgery and have been given the good news that no abnormalities or further growth was detected and that I can return to a normal frequency of colonoscopies.
As I finished up that earlier article about putting things off, I tried to avoid thinking about this episode that really showed what putting something off can result in. Maybe I didn’t want to think about another colonoscopy (and the prep for it), about the possible results this time, or maybe it just didn’t occur to me to put it all together.
In any case – you can learn from my confession – putting it off is really not something you want to do. Handle it in the proper period of time; you just cannot count on good fortune and angels to bail you out.