Fear Should Never Be A Factor: Conquering My First Colonoscopy

The things we run from are sometimes the things we need to run to, in particular health fears.

I have spent the majority of my health career working for one doctor. She is the smartest human I know with the kindest heart. She is a Medical Doctor whose specialty is holistic and environmental medicine. When I say amazing, I MEAN AMAZING!! I started working for Dr. Susan Tanner in my early thirties… (That’s crazy, I could have sworn I was with her in my twenties but as I reflect back, it was definitely after my thirtieth birthday). Well anyway, I learned everything I know about medicine from her. When I first noticed blood in my stool I was at work. I felt scared at first but I thought that maybe it was from straining. When it later happened again, I told Dr. Tanner about it. She had me do a fecal test that checks for blood in your stool. It was a simple smear test that gives you the result pretty quickly. I had also done stool tests that reported blood in my stool. She told me I needed to do a colonoscopy. This made me very afraid. Time went by, the bleeding became less frequent and ultimately I forgot all about it.

Fast forward twelve years, the bleeding returned and became regular. It was bright red so that made me feel like it might not be bad because in my head, bright red means the bleeding is low and more than likely from hemorrhoids or a burst blood vessel caused by straining. Note: I can think myself out of just about anything. One day I went to the restroom thinking I had diarrhea, at least it felt that way, only to look and it was all blood. This made me call and schedule an appointment with a Gastroenterologist. I went to one that Dr. Tanner had always recommended her patient’s to see, one who also treated from a holistic approach; Dr. Cynthia Rudurt. Dr. Rudurt was so empathetic and extremely kind. As I began telling her what was happening I broke down into tears because I was so afraid of the absolute worst. She assured me I was ok and because she wasn’t set up for in-office rectal exams, she referred me to see a provider who I later found out, retired. However, I was able to choose a provider from within the practice of the retired physician; Dr. Joseph Marino, Jr.

What we have to take a moment to sit with is the fact that the surgical gastrointestinal was a man. FOLKS!!! LOL!! The nerves were WILD!! I knew I would have an in-office rectal exam and the thought of having that done by a male physician had me super nervous and a little uncomfortable. The way you have to bend over this exam table, with your pants around your ankles, and your hips high and lifted up to the ceiling! I am literally laughing as I reflect back!! He was super gentle and professional. It took less than one minute and he was done. He wasn’t sure if I had hemorrhoids and wanted to schedule a colonoscopy to check to see what was going on. From that moment I was embarking on the road to my first colonoscopy.

God doesn’t make mistakes. He is always working and interceding for us. He is truly amazing!

I had my colonoscopy which found two polyps: one small polyp and one large, bleeding polyp. Both were removed, one which was precancerous and the other was benign. I was and am still so grateful!! I have to go for yearly procedures for a while but that is nothing in comparison to what could have been. Please let my experience encourage you to pay attention and listen to your body. Fear should not be a big enough reason to deter you from making sure you are healthy inside and out, no matter how young or old you are.