By Sherry Hopkins

Community Columnist

Well helllooo February and come on in. Are you having an identity crisis? I didn’t expect you would be dressed in shirt sleeves, shorts and flip flops! I have spent a whole day pulling out layers of warm clothing just to greet you.

But, use caution because I am a fair weather friend. Turn cold on me and I will abandon you like I never knew you.

So the first week of this fickle month is going to be warm. Unusually so. But you won’t hear me complain. I have already gotten lots done that I would normally have not attempted until closer to Spring.

February along with August are two months I dislike the most. Although February does have Valentine’s Day and an occasional Leap Year which makes things interesting. August has nothing but heat and humidity that is pure liquid at times. I don’t recall an August ever whispering it’s way into my life with cool arid days and nights.

So for now at this moment I am loving February. I don’t even care if I get a red heart shaped box of chocolates. Just continue on in your warm sunny days and  I will be your friend for life.

So at the end of January I had my routine five-year colonoscopy. Because of how my system works I have to do a  three-day prep. I had psyched myself up sufficiently and was up for the challenge. I loaded the fridge with the recommended clear liquids, Popsicles and Jello. I always have chicken stock and or broth so I was good on that part.

I never got hungry and my procedure was very early in the morning so I did not have the infamous “no caffeine” headache that puts folks in foul moods.

My doctor has his own surgical suite where this outpatient procedure is done. The doctor is looking for anything unusual in your intestines. My scopes come every five years because I have always had polyps. The time it takes for a polyp to form and grow into cancer is roughly 10 years. Having polyps increases your cancer chances enormously and moves you into a high risk category.

This was my sixth scope and two polyps were removed and sent to the lab for inspection. Both polyps were adenomatous and are completely benign but were abnormal and would have slowly grown until they became cancerous.

The prep work itself is as I said earlier is challenging. But I think colon cancer would be a greater challenge.

If you are a Medicare recipient you will need to meet your deductible and your out of pocket will be roughly $185. If you have a Part B supplement there should be no out of pocket expense for this procedure. But always check with the doctors office to be sure before you go. Also, if any polyps are removed that is considered surgery and you will have to pay extra for that as well.

There are many ways to prep and mine included not eating solids 3 days before the procedure. I also had to stop taking any ibuprofen that I was on. On the first day I drank a 16 oz bottle of Magnesium Citrate and then an hour later I took two laxatives. The next day I was on clear liquids all day and at noon I drank a liquid prep along with 48 ounces of water. At 7 p.m. I repeated that. I was allowed to have liquids until midnight.

So all went well and despite being weak and dehydrated I felt good. The polyps were removed and sent to the lab and I was sent home where I ate for the next three days as if I had never eaten before.

So if you are due a Colonoscopy put your big girl/boy drawers on and have at it. Colon cancer is one of the few cancers that is completely curable when caught early.

Also the prescription prep is expensive but the nurse sent me a voucher to give the pharmacist and I didn’t pay anything. So don’t hesitate to save your own life. Get tested, get outside and stay tuned!