Had my first colonoscopy today & though it was definitely not the funnest thing I’ve done it was not nearly as bad as I had imagined. You might be asking why on earth would she share such personal info & also tell you that Since January 1, 2013 I have been on a mission to complete all the appropriate routine tests & exams for my age & gender including a yearly physical complete with pap, mammogram, colonoscopy, mri of brain for ms & even got my teeth cleaned.

To be honest in my younger years I would have been far too embarrassed to speak a word of this to anybody.

In recent years I have watched several family members & friends battle cancer & sadly watched far too many take their last breath. In all cases simple routine tests or exams could have detected the cancers early for a better prognosis. I have no problem reminding everyone the importance of getting the pertinent exams/tests for their age & gender & now I can say if I can do it, you can do it!

One test that I feel is very important but is not on the standard routine list, a simple blood test called CA125 which can detect ovarian cancer. The CA125 is not usually considered routine & in some cases is even frowned upon by insurance companies & even some doctors because it a test known for showing false positives which can lead to unnecessary testing.

My sister-n-law asked about the CA125 about a year before she was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer & about 2 years before she passed away but was told insurance did not cover it. After she was diagnosed we were told the CA125 would have detected the ovarian cancer early.

One of our dear friends kept putting off his age 50 colonoscopy because there was never a good time for him to take off work. He finally got that routine colonoscopy, they found cancer & he passed away a few months later.

So EVERYONE please don’t forget to get the appropriate gender & age tests & remind EVERYONE you know. Offer to buddy up with someone or go with someone for support just do not put it off & do not allow your friends & family to put it off.