This might be an unpopular topic for some of us but it is always good to take necessary precautions when it comes to our body and our health. Just because one feels healthy doesn’t mean you have to ignore something which has bothered you for quite a while.
I don’t mean to scare you but have you ever observed how hard it is sometimes to poop? Yes, we have those times in our lives. Pooping blood? They could be hemorrhoids right? Another common cause of bright red blood in your stool could be an anal fissure, a tear that can be caused by anything from constipation to childbirth. They disappear after a while though. And you think that’s normal.
Before I was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer almost ten years ago, having fresh red blood in my stool was nothing to be concerned about. I thought at first it was because of hemorrhoids. I didn’t feel anything – no cramps, no pain, no stomach ache so to speak. I remember now what my other oncologist told me before, that cancer in any part of your body would take ten years before you feel uncomfortable. It was such that I was alarmed when bright red blood appeared almost every day so I had a check-up with a gastroenterologist and he scheduled me for colonoscopy. It was not a painful procedure and I was able to see the lining of my stomach/colon while they were at it. But the preparation was just too much. Aside from the endoscopy which I went thru before during a hospitalization, it was so uncomfortable. You have to have your colon and stomach clean before you have to undergo colonoscopy. My OB-Gyn suggested a surgical oncologist, the best in the field to evaluate my case. True enough, I need to have a sigmoid surgery based on the results of my colonoscopy.
After the operation, I waited two months for my wound to heal before they started me on chemotherapy, both oral and thru IV. Aside from being so expensive, it saps you of your strength. You are bedridden for almost three days after each procedure then another round in three weeks. That was my life for almost a year.
Going back to the topic at hand, if you ever notice fresh blood in your stool, don’t ignore it. I’d like to say prevention is better than cure.
Dreams And Escapes 