Not too pleasant...

On Tuesday I made my way to the Royal Lancaster Infirmary for a colonoscopy. For the uninitiated this involves an examination of the colon by the insertion through the anus of a narrow tube with a light at the end and the ability to excise and remove any polyps that are found. Though there are more congenial ways of spending an hour than lying like a fish on a slab watching your innards on a screen I am very grateful for the medical care I have received over the past 11 years. It was at the end of 1998 that my brother phoned me to say that he had rectal cancer. After many operations, much pain and great bravery he died four years ago. Just 2 or 3 months after his phone call I had some bleeding which I put down to piles but, with his example in mind, I went to the doctor to check things out. Now, 5 colonoscopies and several other procedures later, all is well, because though I seem to produce polyps regularly, some of which could turn cancerous in time, they are discovered and removed before they can become harmful. As bowel cancer comes in men’s top ten health threats it as well to be forewarned and to check out any possible symptoms. (I wondered about including a picture, but decided against it!)