Carl Jacobsen is thankful he listened to his intuition and went ahead
with yet another colorectal health check
screening.
"I'd done it in the past, and decided to skip the test about five years
ago," Mr. Jacobsen said. "Then, I just thought I was in the risk group
for my age, and it's free, so I went ahead with the test." He first got
back a positive result, which means he needs to check with his physician
for the next steps.
"I figured it was wrong, or a mistake," he said. "But I followed up with
Dr. Tom Smith. We did blood tests and cultures and everything kept
saying positive, including the colonoscopy, and at that time it was
determined I needed a separate surgery."
In that surgery approximately 45 percent of his colon was removed along
with some lymph nodes and ducts, where the cancer had already spread.
"I had no signs and symptoms at all, so it's a wonder I didn't wait
until it was too late," he said.
The recovery had Mr. Jacobsen in chemotherapy every other week for six
months.
'My hair got really loose, but didn't fall out," he said. "I was always
sick from the chemo on that day and the next. After the chemo, I began
going to the doctor every other month for a check-up. Now it is every
six months. I am excited for my five year cancer-free check-up in July."
After five years cancer free, he will begin getting his check-ups
annually.
"When you get that final word ~You have cancer ~ you do a mental 180.
You start looking at what is really important, especially your family,"
Mr. Jacobsen said.
His wife, Peggy Jacobsen, said "We have been so thankful the hospital
offers the free hemoccult tests each year. Like Carl said, we almost
didn't do it that year, and finally, we just decided that it couldn't
hurt anything to do it. I hate to think what could have happened if we
hadn't done it."
"I am always amazed that I just about didn't do the colorectal screen,"
Mr. Jacobsen said. "I encourage everyone to just do it. There's nothing
to it. The best thing to happen is it comes back negative. But if it's
positive and you catch it early, you get to live."
To get the free health screening kit for colon cancer, call Phelps
Memorial Health Center, 995-2211, between March 22 and April 2 and
request a kit. The kits will be mailed to you on April 5, and need to be
completed by April 30.
The American Cancer Society recommends that everyone age 50 or older be
tested for colon cancer every year. If someone in your family has had
colon cancer, you may need to be tested before age 50. If you have
certain medical conditions, you also might need to be tested for colon
cancer earlier. Talk to your doctor.
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