My sister was selected to be on a Nationwide calendar…or “Colondar”…to raise awareness about colon cancer. She is pretty amazing and gorgeous so I just wanted to brag.
She has been cancer free since her surgery and chemo in 2008 and I am so happy for her.
She’s pretty brave (pretty and brave? ), if I had colon cancer, I wouldn’t be telling anyone about the details, just because it’s one of those “embarassing” areas.
That is why she went so long without seeing a doc. Nobody, much less a young little Barbie looking girl, wants to tell the doc about issues with that body part. She and I have lived together for the past 7 years and she ALWAYS had bathroom issues. It just finally go so bad she had to see a doctor. If she had sought help earlier it might not have been so difficult to treat.
She really wanted to put her story out there so others might not hesitate to seek medical help. She said she lost all of her shame after about the 3rd colonoscopy anyway;)
I’m glad she is doing so well. She is incredibly lucky that she had symptoms that alerted her to the cancer before it was too late to be curable. Most people with colon cancer don’t have symptoms (hence why old people get the routine colonoscopies - but obviously for those rare people like her who get colon cancer at a young age that doesn’t do any good).
She said to thank you all as she blushed last night while I tried to describe this site to her. You should all know I said, well…The Dope is like a MENSA meeting with a side of clever wit dripping with sarcasm. They are insanely intelligent people.
And I have no business attempting participate in any debate here becuase I am very underqualified
Reading her story, I definitely have empathy. I had several stomach operations and my recovery was not too dissimilar. Two years ago this month I was laid off from my job and decided to try and get back my stamina. I took a 6 minute walk and when I got home I literally nearly passed out from the exertion. Good thoughts going out again!