This Mother's Day Is Full Of Sh**!

This Mother's Day Is Full Of SH**!

This Mother's Day is full of sh**, but not in the way that you may think.   

You see, I have an appointment for a colonoscopy and an endoscopy at 8:45 on Monday morning.  When I was scheduling the procedure, I realized that I would be "prepping" on Mother's Day.   At first, I considered changing the appointment. Since the first part of the prep day is a clear liquid diet, this would mean no breakfast in bed, no brunch, no special dinner or chocolate covered strawberries for me in "honor of my special day". The second part of the prep is not something that would be filed under "fun things to do on Mother's Day"!

I then decided that this would actually be the perfect way to spend Mother's Day! Before you think I have totally lost it, let me explain why.

My mom passed away on May 3rd, 1980 of colon cancer.  I was 12 years old.  With a family history of colon cancer, my risk is higher than someone with no family history of it.  Though everyone over the age of 50 should be screened, the rule of thumb is that those with a family history should begin getting tested 10 years prior to the initial diagnosis.  Since Mom was diagnosed around 38, I started getting colonoscopy screenings at 28.  All of my scans so far have been clear, and I hope to keep it that way!

Did you know?

• More than 146,000 cases of Colorectal Cancer will be diagnosed this year, resulting in 49,000 deaths.
• Colorectal cancer can be preventable through screening and removal of polyps (abnormal tissue growth).  Most of the polyps will never turn into cancer.
• If undetected, some polyps can become cancerous over the course of several years and if untreated, colon cancer can spread to other parts of the body.
• The aim of screening is to identify pre-cancerous polyps or cancer in its early stage when it is curable.

From "Colonoscopy For Dummies Special Edition" 2011.  

According to Cancer.org:

Thanks to improvements in prevention, early detection, and treatment, more than a million people in the US count themselves as survivors of colon or rectum cancer (also called colorectal cancer).

Colorectal cancer is often highly treatable. If it’s found and treated early (while it’s small and before it has spread), the 5-year survival rate is about 90%. But because many people are not getting tested, only about 4 out of 10 are diagnosed at this early stage when treatment is most likely to be successful. 

Though the prep is not on my list of fun things to do on Mother's Day, the peace of mind I have once the hard part is over is definitely worth it! 

If you are 50 or older or have a family history of colorectal cancers, and have not been screened yet or are due, please make an appointment as soon as you can.  The life you save could be your own!

In honor of my mom and in honor of my children, this Mother's Day is full of SH**!   Happy Mother's Day!