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BARBARA
I HEARD A LOT OF DIFFERENT RUMORS AND STORIES,
I CAN'T REALLY PINPOINT EVERYTHING THAT I HEARD.
BUT I WAS GETTING INFORMATION FROM PEOPLE WHO HADN'T HAD THE
PROCEDURE DONE, AND THEN THAT'S WHEN I DECIDED WELL I NEED TO
FIND OUT FOR MYSELF.
WHEN I FIRST HEARD ABOUT COLON SCREENING, IT PROBABLY WAS FROM
NEWS REPORTER KATIE COURIC. I HAD HEARD THAT HER HUSBAND
HAD DIED FROM COLON DISEASE.
I HAD THOUGHT THAT IT WAS MAINLY SOMETHING THAT MEN GOT,
ESPECIALLY BY HER HUSBAND DYING FROM IT.
I DIDN'T THINK THAT IT AFFECTED WOMEN AS MUCH AS IT DID.
BUT I FELT VERY NERVOUS ABOUT THE COLONOSCOPY.
I ACTUALLY THINK I PUT IT OFF, MAYBE FROM 3 TO 6 MONTHS
I DIDN'T GO AND HAVE IT DONE.
THE DOCTOR THAT I WENT IN TO SEE ABOUT THE COLONOSCOPY REASSURED
ME THAT I HAD NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, AND THAT THE PROCEDURE
WOULD BE SIMPLE AND HE REALLY RELAXED AND EASED MY FEAR OF
HAVING IT DONE.
HE DID EXPLAIN TO ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO DRINK A SOLUTION
THAT CLEANSES THE BODY OUT.
WHEN I GOT TO THE DRUG STORE AND GOT THE PRESCRIPTION,
IT WAS A HUGE PLASTIC BOTTLE THAT SEEMS LIKE IT WAS ABOUT
100 GALLON SIZE, IT WAS REALLY HUGE, IT WAS REALLY LARGE,
AND I SAID 'WOW I'M GONNA HAVE TO DRINK ALL OF THIS'?
THE MOST DIFFICULT THING ABOUT THE PREPARATION WAS BEING HUNGRY
AND NOT BEING ABLE TO EAT ANYTHING.
WHAT I REMEMBER ABOUT THE COLONOSCOPY WAS THEY WERE
PUTTING A SOLUTION, AN IV, IN MY VEINS TO GIVE ME THE MEDICATION
TO KNOCK ME OUT.
AND AFTER THAT I THINK HE SAID 'START COUNTING FROM 100'
I THINK I GOT TO 98, AND THAT'S ALL I REMEMBER.
THE FIRST THING I DID AFTER THE COLONOSCOPY, I HEADED TO THE
OLD COUNTRY BUFFET AND ATE MY HEART OUT.
I THINK I'M GOING TO HAVE ANOTHER COLONOSCOPY DONE IN
PROBABLY ABOUT 3 YEARS.
THE COLONOSCOPY WAS NOT SCARY AT ALL. ALL THE FEAR I HAD AND
DOUBT AND ANXIETY WAS JUST A WASTE OF TIME.
THE COLONOSCOPY WAS A PIECE OF CAKE.
THE COLONOSCOPY IS RECOMMENDED EVERY 10 YEARS BETWEEN 50-75
FOR COLON CANCER SCREENING.
BECAUSE EACH PERSON IS DIFFERENT, YOU SHOULD TALK TO
YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER TO DECIDE WHAT'S RIGHT FOR YOU.
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