This may take you a bit out of your comfort zone… but… what the heck.

Imagine if you want. You are 58 years old and on your deathbed. You are one of the unlucky 50,000 people who will die this year from colon cancer. As you lie there, you are haunted by the constant replays playing in your mind’s eye of how your life is slowly fading away.

All you can see are the wonderful things you used to take for granted… your beautiful wife… your wonderful family… your close friends… your unfinished projects.

You agonize over everything you’re going to miss…like your daughter’s upcoming wedding…being a part of your grandchildren’s lives…the family vacation you’ll never take again…the sounds of laughter. .. the simple conversations at the table… the smell of an April shower… the fresh feeling of a new day… all the things you should, would like and could.

With a tear in your eyes, you pray to God for a miracle. Now…rewind your imagination to the here and now and seriously consider this question.

How much would it be worth to you not to lose 20 years of your life to colon cancer?

Would you be willing to fast for 24 hours, while having stomach cramps for two or three of those hours? So would he be willing to be put to sleep for 20 minutes while a doctor checks him to see if he has cancer? Well that’s it! I ask you again… would it be worth it?

Oh, I just realized there’s one more roadblock I forgot to mention. FEAR! A fear that is a little different than the others… this one could literally scare you to death.
Let me get to the point.

Three members of my family have recently died of colon cancer. The sad truth is that, with today’s technology, I sincerely believe that all three of them could be alive and enjoying life today. All of them were over 60 years old when they were first diagnosed, and none of them had been screened for colon cancer…despite national guidelines starting at age 50. I’m not sure if it was fear or lack of information that kept them from doing it… so I’ll address both.

I hate being so direct…especially when it hits so close to home. The truth hurts like hell… but the truth is the best weapon I have to maybe get your attention. And if it somehow helps neutralize some of your fears and gets you into action… I’ll take advantage of it all day.

According to the American Cancer Society, colon cancer kills nearly 50,000 people in the United States each year… while nearly 150,000 new cases are diagnosed in the same period. It is the second deadliest cancer in existence… after lung cancer… which is also preventable. But that is another topic for another day.

The real tragedy is that we now have a way to prevent most colon cancers, but thousands of us each year, for one reason or another, choose to ignore it. You got that… I said… CHOOSE TO IGNORE IT! If this shoe fits you… please reread the first two paragraphs.

Although colon cancer is generally targeted at people age 50 and older, I ask my younger readers to hang in there and listen to me. It is vitally important, because you may be the only one with enough influence and knowledge, after reading this article, to perhaps speak some common sense to your parents. I don’t want to be too dramatic… but you could literally save their lives. It’s your job to make it happen.

The facts:

Colon cancer begins as benign, slow-growing polyps, usually in people age 50 and older…maybe younger if there’s a family history. The beauty is that, in these early stages, they can be easily detected and removed before they become deadly…thus preventing colon cancer. All of this can be accomplished with a relatively easy procedure called a colonoscopy… which, by the way, is done while you’re asleep and completely unconscious.

For some reason, the very word colonoscopy strikes fear into many…especially us men. At one time, I was among the many… but not anymore. After having my second last week, I can honestly say…it was a doddle. But I have to tell you… I still hate that word… colonoscopy.

The fool who came up with that word should be beaten to death with the tool they use for the procedure. Why don’t they call it adding 20 years to your life? This would be a lot easier to sell…don’t you think?

A quick word about fear…it feeds on ignorance and inaction. Fortunately, it loses its sting in the light of information… valid information, that is. And it becomes even more useless when this valid information comes from someone who was eaten up with fear before experiencing their first projection. Once again, I finished it last week, so what I’m about to tell you is very up to date.

• Step One: This is the hardest part… but it’s really not that bad. The day before the procedure, you fast and drink a laxative solution, which cleanses your colon so the doctor can see what he needs to see. For those like me, who have a weak stomach, there are pills, which can be used instead, called OsmoPrep. OsmoPrep is taken with clear Gatorade and works just as well…if not better, and I highly recommend it. Tell your doctor you know about the pills and he or she will prescribe them for you.

• Step Two: The colonoscopy itself. This is what scares most men so, quite frankly, they don’t do it. They just can’t stop thinking about it. Listen… I’m going to tell the truth here, and I won’t beat around the bush. When you arrive at the hospital as an outpatient, an IV is placed in your arm…this is where the sedative will be administered seconds before the procedure. When it’s time for the show, you’ll be taken to the room where your procedure will take place, and then you’ll be asked to lie on your left side. They then inject the sedative through the aforementioned IV. Five seconds later you’re out like a light. Next thing you know… you wake up and it’s over. That’s it… you’re done.

• Step three: you go back to your life… period, amen.

Listen… we all know we’re not going to live forever… at least not in this body. But there’s no reason why we can’t squeeze this wonderful life for all it’s worth. And if that means getting a colonoscopy every 10 years or so after age 50… then go for it.

If every cancer had a screening technique as reliable and successful as a colonoscopy, cancer would hardly be a factor for most of us.

If you are age 50 or older, or have a blood relative who has had colon polyps or colon cancer, talk to your doctor and schedule one. Don’t put it off… do it now. You don’t want to be plagued with those repetitions. If your parents or someone you love conforms to this law… stay with them until they give up.

Don’t assume that everyone is aware of the facts. Show some courage and spread the word…even if you need to step out of your comfort zone a bit to do so.