What I Wish We Knew Then … Facts that Prevent Colon Cancer
Someone recently asked me, if we knew then what we know now, all of the facts that prevent colon cancer, what would we change? Could you follow that sentence? I hope so, because it almost lost me. But before I answer it let me back up a bit. My husband, Chris, is currently undergoing chemo for stage 3B colon cancer. This has been a world wind summer – diagnosis in May, surgery in June and starting chemo in July. So in all of the activity, I really hadn’t processed that question. Until now…
So, what would we do differently? Honestly, I don’t have a long list. I knew NOTHING about colon cancer before the doctor said those words. So since I knew nothing about colon cancer, I sure didn’t know anything about preventing it. I knew about breast cancer and breast exams. I knew about lung cancer and not smoking. But colon cancer… ummm, nada. But I can say that experience is a helluva teacher, and I am a fast learner (and since you’re reading this, I guess I am about to become a novice teacher too).
The first thing that comes to mind is I wouldn’t ignore the very first sign. Blood in your stool is NOT supposed to be there. No amount of red Kool-Aid, or tomato juice, or anything should make you question the color of your stool. Also, don’t assume that blood in your stool is hemorrhoids.
The very first time that Chris mentioned that he had blood in his stool I should have raised hell until he went to the doctor. When I posed the hindsight question to Chris, he had the same answer, “I would have taken it more seriously.” Chris put off going to the doctor because he felt fine. He didn’t feel sick, and honestly, what man wants to discuss “his daily deposits with the porcelain king?” But if we had gone to the doctor when the first symptom presented itself, then we might not be doing rounds of chemo now.
The second thing is really paying attention to what we put in our bodies and how we move our bodies. A high fat diet and a busy, but physically sedentary lifestyle are just two factors that we ignored. Those two things alone affect so many areas of health but are the easiest to ignore. Since Chris’ diagnosis, we have instituted family walks and much more fiber into our diets. It may not be a “nice” topic, but bowel movements have become normal conversation in our house. We not only want to beat this disease but we want to prevent it in our kids and future grandkids.
Let’s be honest, if you were just blind Googling and stumbled upon this site – then please start moving and eating better today. Read up about colon cancer and how to prevent it. Say “no” to too many processed foods. Say “yes” to fiber rich items that not only fill you up but keep you regular. But if you found this blog because you had blood in your stool or have been abnormally “backed up” recently, then don’t hesitate. Call your doctor and schedule an appointment to discuss the symptoms. Don’t wait. I wish we hadn’t.
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