The Lewis County Herald – 8-8-23

With an early appointment at my surgeon’s Lexington clinic on Friday, Tammy and I made the trek down Thursday evening to stay nearby.

The appointment was for a (semi-)colonoscopy to allow Dr. Belin a review of his handiwork from the surgeries he performed on September 27, 2022, and February 14 of this year.

In the first surgery he removed pretty much my entire colon and fashioned an ileostomy which would allow some healing before connecting things back up.

The reconnection came on Valentine’s Day and went without a hitch. Well, except for that mango size mass he encountered and removed.

The mass was later determined to be only scar tissue resulting from the first surgery.

The six month followup was to ensure things had healed properly and to check for any polyps or other abnormalities that may have developed.

In following the pre-procedure instructions from his office, the preparation began on Monday with some dietary restrictions and continued Tuesday and Wednesday with multiple doses of Miralax.

Thursday’s prep included the ingestion of a prescribed solution over a period of several hours as well as the admonishment to not consume any solid food or dairy products. Or coffee. Also anything red, blue, or purple colored. Clear liquids only.

I am thankful Ale-8 is clear.

Thursday’s preparation also helped us make the decision to make the trip to Lexington the evening before, during a lull in the activity. 

We made our way to the clinic Friday morning and I was soon called back to a prep area where my vitals were checked and I was readied for the procedure.

The anesthesia is fast-acting and the next thing I remember is Dr. Belin asking how I feel. Tammy was soon ushered in and sat with me as he told us his observations.

It all looked good, he said, adding that I have a very small portion of colon remaining and we need to make sure it stays in good shape.

In his findings, he reported no evidence of polyps or neoplasia and a healthy appearing ileum.

He provided us with a complete report, complete with color photographs of some of the sights he encountered during the procedure.

He recommended a high fiber diet.

The next follow-up? In three years.

I do have a follow-up next month with my oncologist to have a CT scan which he will compare with earlier scans.

Those will happen every six months for the next couple of years. The likelihood of recurrence drops considerably after that milestone and the time between scans will increase.

I already have the prescribed solution on-hand that I am to consume prior to the upcoming CT scan.

It says it is berry flavored. I’ve had it before. I’m not sure which berries its flavor should resemble, but I would decline a slice of that pie.

Tammy and I are appreciative of the continued prayers and positive thoughts. We are truly blessed.

I’ve written this part before. It’s important. If you haven’t already (and you’re in the category), get tested. If you have colon cancer, catch it early, eradicate it, and be a survivor.