Readers Write: Timely medical check ups can save lives

The Island Now

Several months ago, a letter appeared in this newspaper claiming that the entire problem with the American medical system is that “greedy” doctors order so many medical tests. The letter-writer stated that he therefore avoids doctors and medical testing. 

I contemplated writing this response for quite a while, as it involves a very personal subject – my beloved middle sister’s terminal stage-four colon cancer. 

Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the United States. This cancer is usually curable if detected in its early stages, or preventable if pre-cancerous growths (polyps) are detected early with a medical test – a colonoscopy. 

This test is one of many medical tests that save lives. The doctors who recommend and perform these tests are caring and dedicated, and are doing a great public service. We have many of these wonderful physicians in our community. 

Turning to my sister’s story:

In her early fifties, my sister was at the pinnacle of an incredible legal career, running a department for a major corporation, traveling extensively for work, and handling fascinating, cutting edge legal matters. 

She was also a happily married mother of four beautiful girls, one of whom was a special needs child.

Unfortunately, my sister was too busy with work and her family to take a day off for a colonoscopy screening for colon cancer, even though she was three years older than the recommended age for one’s first such test (age 50). 

My sister finally sought care only when it was too late – after the cancer symptoms had started. When my sister called me two years ago to tell me that she had colorectal cancer, I sensed from my sister’s voice that something was terribly wrong before she could utter the words.

Since then, my sister has suffered through two painful colon surgeries, surgery to remove part of her lung when the cancer metastasized, round after round of chemo cocktails, radiation, radiation burns, hair loss, neuropathy, days-long severe stomach upsets after each chemo treatment, shingles resulting from the chemo, a surgery to install a chemo port which left her unable to lift her arm, and the terrible knowledge that although she is continuing to fight for her life, the chemo will stop working at some point, and her children will be left motherless at too young an age.

My sister has faced these torments bravely. While in between chemo treatments, she did a 5K walk to raise money for the “Get Your Rear in Gear” organization, which raises colon cancer awareness and funds for colon cancer research. 

My sister highly recommends the Get Your Rear in Gear website, which provides helpful educational information on “the disease that no one wants to talk about.” My sister continued working as long as possible, and made sure to spend time with her family, but her colorectal cancer is a nightmare that potentially could have been prevented.  

It’s true that a colonoscopy is not at the top of anyone’s list of enjoyable ways to spend a day. I’m also guilty of waiting longer than is advisable to take the test – and only finally went because my sister insisted upon it after her diagnosis. 

Although the colonoscopy itself is usually painless, the preparation for a colonoscopy is unpleasant. But drinking a gallon of a vile slime-flavored liquid and spending most of one night in the bathroom is far easier than the alternative of getting colon cancer. 

And fortunately, researchers are developing alternative tests for colon-cancer detection. If some enterprising researcher would develop a better-testing pre-test potion, that would help too!

I hesitated to write about this publicly because I was worried that it would upset my sister. But, when I finally asked my sister how she felt about my writing about her illness, her response was “anything that increases colon cancer awareness is good.” 

I hope that this letter will encourage readers to remember that certain medical tests are life-saving, and to take the necessary preventative steps and tests to avoid my sister’s fate. I also hope that this letter will encourage local physicians to write letters to this newspaper about colon cancer detection and other life-saving medical tests.

Liz Berney

Great Neck

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