Pukey Sammy, among other things
I came home tonight after dinner with a friend and found that Sammy puked all over the carpeting. Which is quite timely, since I bought a steamer/shampooer vac today! I feel sorry for the kiddo. He has the feline version of inflammatory bowel disease. Which sucks, and I speak from experience here. One of the many things on my mind.
I have been having stomach problems again. I know that I need to go to the doctor, but I've been holding off on it, because my doctor has encouraged me to get genetic testing. You might be saying, how does a stomach ailment indicate genetic testing?
My grandfather died of colon cancer. My grandmother died of ovarian cancer. My father and my brother have had colon polyps at a young age. My brother has brain cancer. The picture I'm painting is one for a syndrome called HNPCC, or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer. I have inflammatory bowel disease. IBD+HNPCC=a close to 100% chance of developing colon cancer at some time in my life. I don't want to think about it.
I need to get up the spine to call the doc, make the appointment and say, "I know you're going to make me get another colonoscopy. Fine. But I'm not ready for a genetic test."
The funny thing is that I have worked with HNPCC patients for awhile now. I work on colon cancer studies! And frankly, that sucks MORE. I know the odds, I know the statistics, I know the difference between Amsterdam and Bethesda HNPCC. I know that if I have the syndrome, then I should consider a complete hysterectomy. That I might develop kidney cancer. Colostomy bag anyone?
Between this, working overtime, planning a wedding, and applying to grad school, I am losing it. I try to go to work everyday and talk to these patients, trying to keep myself out of where they're at and their lives, and keep saying to myself, because their lives are not my life. At least I hope not. Here's hoping to a good and relaxing weekend. I need it.
I have been having stomach problems again. I know that I need to go to the doctor, but I've been holding off on it, because my doctor has encouraged me to get genetic testing. You might be saying, how does a stomach ailment indicate genetic testing?
My grandfather died of colon cancer. My grandmother died of ovarian cancer. My father and my brother have had colon polyps at a young age. My brother has brain cancer. The picture I'm painting is one for a syndrome called HNPCC, or hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer. I have inflammatory bowel disease. IBD+HNPCC=a close to 100% chance of developing colon cancer at some time in my life. I don't want to think about it.
I need to get up the spine to call the doc, make the appointment and say, "I know you're going to make me get another colonoscopy. Fine. But I'm not ready for a genetic test."
The funny thing is that I have worked with HNPCC patients for awhile now. I work on colon cancer studies! And frankly, that sucks MORE. I know the odds, I know the statistics, I know the difference between Amsterdam and Bethesda HNPCC. I know that if I have the syndrome, then I should consider a complete hysterectomy. That I might develop kidney cancer. Colostomy bag anyone?
Between this, working overtime, planning a wedding, and applying to grad school, I am losing it. I try to go to work everyday and talk to these patients, trying to keep myself out of where they're at and their lives, and keep saying to myself, because their lives are not my life. At least I hope not. Here's hoping to a good and relaxing weekend. I need it.
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