A week after my 23rd birthday I found myself waking up in a recovery room at the University of Utah hospital. I had endured my third colonoscopy (fourth, if you count the sigmoidoscopy).
My name is Justin, and how I got here and how I feel about it are stories that I plan on sharing with you. Both stories begin with a month long hospital stay during the summer of 2008. It was simultaneously one of the most trying yet terrific experiences of my life. I have wanted to share some of these experiences for a long time, and this blog represents the fulfillment of this desire.
As I have pursued a career in the health care professions I have become enamored with a type of medicine called "preventive medicine". Preventive medicine includes procedures and practices that people can use to prevent having to go to the doctor's office /hospital/ER in the first place. In an age where the future of medical insurance, and healthcare in general, changes with the political tide, preventive procedures like a colonoscopy represent one aspect of our wellbeing over which we have total control.
There ain't no way to sugar coat it! A colonoscopy involves a doctor sticking a camera up your butt! Couple that with the nasty stuff you have to drink to clear out your system (one of the options is a salty drink called "Go Lytely") and it can be an unpleasant experience.
However, the discomfort is well worth what it can prevent.
Colon cancer is the third most prevalent cancer in the US (source), but it starts out as a tiny piece of harmless tissue called a "polyp". A colonoscopy allows a doctor to check for any polyps and remove them before they become cancerous. A very short procedure could save you from years of suffering or an early death.
As you can tell, the main purpose of this blog is to encourage you to PLEASE GO get your colonoscopy--it could save your life! Indeed, in the posts to follow I hope to show you that if I could get 3 in the first quarter century of my life then you can get 1 in the first 50 years of your life!
Additional purposes of this blog include:
- To document my experiences and struggles surrounding my Ulcerative Colitis diagnosis and the life changing lessons I learned.
- To promote healthy living and preventive medicine.
- To show how attitude and outlook can change a bad experience into a great one.
I hope you enjoy the posts that follow. I hope to hear your feedback. And I hope that you will live healthy and PLEASE GO get your colonoscopy!
Justin
No comments:
Post a Comment