Personal resolutions involve action for vital check ups

Pardon the late greeting but the enchanting sounds of vuvuzelas knocked me out like Rip Van Winkle as house guests counted down the seconds until 2019.

The tardy New Year salutation means the resolution regarding procrastination has sailed. S**t! Resolution about cussing? In the wind, too.

Gimme three more pieces of that Russell Stover Sampler. By the way, is it wrong to top off a romaine salad with Ferrero Rocher?

Seriously though, hope you made some resolutions as we barnstorm toward 20/20— when we will all see clearly. Gotcha.

With a January 6 Epiphany birthday, my resolutions start there. It’s a fiveday leeway for indulgences before getting serious.

What’s on the list of resolutions for 2019? A colonoscopy. Not exactly the “Oh, what fun it is to ride in a one-horse open sleigh” ride.

Hopefully, a good doctor does not find this bug many people inquire about.

Let’s be serious. See what happened there? Kept it light-hearted and funny then switched gears.

So, what’s a colonoscopy?

An examination of the large bowel and part of the small bowel with a CCD camera or a fiber optic camera on a flexible tube passed through the anus.

Doctor can look for polyps (growths on the lining of your colon or large intestine) that can be removed before they can develop into cancer. Consult with your physician about an examination. Most experts suggest around the age of 50 or earlier if a family history exists.

The American Cancer Society notes that excluding skin cancers, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer diagnosed in both men and women in the United States.

The ACS estimated the number of colorectal cancer cases in the United States for 2018 were:

97,220 new cases of colon cancer

43,030 new cases of rectal cancer

Following information can be found on cancer.org website.

Overall, the lifetime risk of developing colorectal cancer is: about 1 in 22 (4.49%) for men and 1 in 24 (4.15%) for women.

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and women in the United States. It’s expected to cause about 50,630 deaths.

Exercise, eat healthy and developing good sleep habits remain high on the list of New Year’s resolutions.

Now, how’s that prostate?

L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist. Find him on Twitter @ LAParker6 or email him at LAParker@Trentonian. com