[GregS]

I also posted this on the 911 Board

I've been a bit hesitant to post this, but I got to thinking that if it helps one other person it's worth it. Besides, at some level and at some time it'll affect anybody who drives a P-car so it's not totally off-topic. Here goes.

I'll be turning 51 here very shortly, and have been avoiding going in for a colonoscopy. The recommendation now is that you go in for a baseline procedure at age 50. My wife, my folks, and my primary care doc finally prevailed and, a little over a week ago, I had it done. The good news: I finally went in. The bad news: the doctor found a polyp. The other good news: he removed it right then. After waiting around for one of the worst weeks of my life, the other good news: it was pre-malignant and we got it in time.

I'm not much of a preacher, but I can tell you that I am now the poster child for this procedure. I'll spare you the details, but the preparation is much worse than the actual procedure. If you want any kind of specifics, e-mail me off the board and I'll be happy to answer any questions I can. The doctor was saying that, a while back, the national recommendation, in terms of the age that the baseline study should be done, changed from 55 to 50. They now figure that only 25% of the population who should be getting this done, is actually doing it.

So, please, if you are in the targeted portion of the population, GET IT DONE. When caught early, it is highly - like over 90% - treatable. And, as it has been for me, if detected early enough, it can be removed before it is malignant. There's somebody out there for every one of us, as well as all of us here on the board, who would rather have you around.

'Nuff said.