Barely at the end of the period where one still greets Happy New Year, on the 17 January 2022 through a colonoscopy I was diagnosed with colon cancer. This was followed by a CAT scan on January 24. Gratefully, a week later, on January 31, a section including the tumour with surrounding lymph nodes was cut out, the colon reconnected, the keyhole surgery a success and the plumbing working. Fortunately I cycled quite a lot last year so was relatively fit and strong. Discharged on February 3 with kick in the stomach feeling but all manageable. The health care at the hospital through each phase was fantastic and the whole process eye opening with much war story material. A week after the operation it was confirmed that the cancer was local to the colon and completely removed with a cancer free diagnosis. For a month a nurse came every evening to administer a blood thinning injection in the belly and completion of this inspired the photograph celebrating the end of that. The timing of the surgery was spot-on, a fast recovery with zero impact on a traditionally busy work period. The only instruction was to not lift anything heavy. Invested in a vertically raising desk and actually now prefer working standing and sometimes for good measure on a balance board as well. On March 17, went for the post-operation checkup and all healed, sealed with a "see you in 5 years for another colonoscopy" instruction.
Fortunately this story turned out well, a huge wake up call, with surgery a small price to pay for what could have been much worse on so many levels.
A decade ago, my doctor at the time suggested a routine colonoscopy which I declined, so therein lies the lesson. Check yourselves out, don’t disregard the signs which I did for at least a year, it could have been much worse, this is a sneaky cancer…
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