Irina V

My dad’s first cousin died within four months of being diagnosed with colon cancer. We urged my dad to get a colonoscopy. He canceled his appointments seven times, until I changed his primary treating physician, and that doctor forced him to go.

My dad had bloody diarrhea daily for at least a year. He had low iron. He finally went for a colonoscopy on September 11, 2021. It took longer than expected, and I was anxious.

The doctor came out and told me he couldn’t proceed with the colonoscopy. I was angry because I was pretty sure my father didn’t complete the prep. When I started to ask why the procedure couldn’t be done, the doctor proceeded to show me pictures of my father’s tumor. This tumor was blocking his colon and the reason the colonoscopy couldn’t proceed.

The doctor felt it was probably stage IV and from his eyes and tone, I knew it was bad: maybe even too late.

I started throwing up in a trash can and shaking. I had to tell my dad on the way home, and it was one of the hardest things.

He died March 12, 2024.

His doctors were amazed he made it that long, even though his labs were fine. The joke was he was perfectly healthy except he had stage IV colon cancer.

He was even able to get an eight month break from chemo, which he required every three weeks.

Cancer doesn’t just affect the person afflicted: It affects their family too. It affects them mentally, physically, and financially, too.

I am on my second colonoscopy (every three years), and it really can save your life. My advice to others is is to take things minute by minute if you can’t take it day by day. And never give up.

Something I wish members of Congress knew is that it is much cheaper to get people screened then pay six figures for yearly treatment.