No Sign of Trouble: How an Early Colonoscopy Saved a Life

As Christine Cartwright goes about her day as a Patient Care Coordinator in Adventist Health Columbia Crest Medical Clinic Pediatrics in The Dalles, Oregon, no one would guess her energy and health today are thanks to choices she made not that long ago.

Some years ago, Christine didn’t have health insurance. Though she had to pay cash for her visits, she was committed to getting regular checkups with her primary care provider.

During one such routine exam, her doctor pushed gently on Christine’s abdomen. An unexpected and sharp pain hit with such surprise, Christine almost jumped off the exam table.

Her doctor wasn’t overly concerned but tested Christine’s stool for hidden blood. When it came back positive, she referred Christine to a gastroenterologist — a doctor who specializes in the digestive, or GI, tract — for a colonoscopy. It would be her first, since she was younger than the typical screening recommendation. The cost without insurance was tough, but Christine valued her health too much to ignore her recommendation.

That proved a lifesaving decision. As the GI doctor checked Christine’s colon, the probe revealed a cockscomb-shaped polyp. Soon, the pathology report confirmed that the growth was cancer.

“I didn’t have any symptoms that would say, ‘Hey, I should be concerned,’” Christine explains. And because her family didn’t talk openly about medical history, she had no reason to get screened early.

With the help of her GI doctor, Christine found a surgeon and facility who would work out the financial picture with her. Though the tumor had begun to grow into the wall of her colon, the surgery successfully removed it. Tests on nearby lymph glands and blood vessels assured Christine and her team they had removed the cancer.

Despite the size of the growth, Christine did not need follow-up radiation or chemotherapy. Her team put her on a schedule for more frequent colonoscopies, each of which has been clear of cancer. She now gets to extend 10 years between screenings.

Christine’s experience makes her a huge advocate of colorectal cancer screenings. “Yes, there’s a chance of a false positive,” she says, “but wouldn’t you rather follow up on that and not find anything than find out you could’ve caught it sooner? I have no idea how long I had that cancer.”

She hopes everyone will follow their provider’s recommendations for screenings. For people who are younger and have low risk, options less invasive than colonoscopy may be recommended. The key is to make sure you have your regular checkup and follow through on any screenings your doctor recommends.

That includes getting your colonoscopies done when you should. “For most people, it is a scary proposition. It’s a hassle. It’s uncomfortable,” Christine points out. “But when you compare it to the consequences if you don’t catch it early, it’s worth it.”

If you’ve been referred for colorectal screening, please call our team at 541-296-6101 to get scheduled.