Mr. Anonymous and Colon Cancer

Hi everyone. My name is Mr. Anonymous. I’m a father of three, husband, and sports coach who travels around the country for games. At 55, I would say life has been good, all Glory to God.

My first Son is a graduate from the University and gainfully employed and just married, my beautiful daughter in her penultimate year in the polytechnic also, the last boy is rounding off his secondary school education also. My wife and I are gradually becoming relieved of the great responsibility of raising children, more time for me and her. (Laughs).

Two years ago, I noticed I seemed to be getting more tired, from traveling I thought. I decided to see my doctor at Emabal hospitals for a checkup. I spoke with him and I was advised to have a colonoscopy, even though I didn’t have any symptoms, aside from feeling tired. I was advised to get screened because I had a family history of the disease; my father had colon cancer when he was 52 years old which marked his demise. If My dad’s colorectal cancer had been earlier detective and treated, he should be in his 80s today.

At Emabal hospitals, we advise our patients 70 and above to get screened. However, for some lf our patients who have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer, our doctors counsel about when to begin screening, which test is right for you, and how often to get tested.

I went in for my colonoscopy sometime in June, 2017. Despite absence of polyps during this screening, the doctor took tissue samples for a biopsy. A week later, results diagnosed that I had colon cancer. By August, 2017, I underwent surgery to get rid of the cancer.

God so good, the cancer was found early enough, and the surgery was successful. If not for the screening I underwent, I never would have found it early enough.

Now, I’m encouraging my friends and family to get a colonoscopy. People tell me that they are scared to get screened and scared to see what the screening might reveal. But I think it’s scarier if you have a tumor that the doctor can’t remove. I have three brothers, and all of them have been screened of which one had polyps and was removed.

If I hadn’t been screened I wouldn’t have been able to see my son get married of which I am expecting my first grand child, or enjoy this next chapter of my life with my lovely wife. Today, I have a positive outlook on the life ahead of me. I have effectively resumed by coaching job, exercising again and changing my diet. I’ve been getting back to the old me. Getting screened made me want to go enjoy every day.

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