A contest . . . from Aunt Kathy . . . and other things

If you like contests as much as I do, please go visit Aunt Kathy. She is running a simple contest between now and August 31. Let her know I sent you and I get an extra chance to win . . .

Thanks.

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You remember this from yesterday? Well, I forgot to mention that I had posted about this earlier. You don't remember that? Sure you do, it was to frog or not to frog.

And this is what I frogged to get the lace thing. Much better, dontcha think? And I tell you something else. It took TONS of time to do these short row triangles. The lace is not only much prettier but it was much happier knitting for me.

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Now for my public service announcement. A little less than a year ago, I went for a colonoscopy. My doctor had been after me to have one and I put it off and put it off. The horrors of it all. Finally, I had it done and beside having to drink the god-awful potion, it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought and, thank God, I am fine and don't need to do it again for another 10 years.

The reason I went last year to have it done was that while my doc had been after me to do it, it was a co-worker who pushed it. Earlier last year (January 2007 ish), Larry finally had his first colonoscopy. He was 55 at the time. His doctor had been after him to have one done. He had no symptoms just finally got tired of his doctor giving him the "over 50 and this is a test that could save your life" talk. The cancer was so advanced that surgery was not an option.

Larry's funeral was at 9:30 this morning. I had worked with him for 36 years. He was the first openly gay person I ever met. He was hard-working, dedicated, funny and irreverant about most things. He despised the term "gay" but if you really wanted to get him started, mention "alternative lifestyle." He laughed about all the years of being careful with his relationships and lifestyle (although he did smoke and did enjoy drinking but had seriously cut back on both until last year and then decided it didn't really matter now did it). He also laughed about the fact that he wasn't sick a day in his life until they diagnosed him and then it all went sliding downhill.

The worst, absolutely worst part of this disease for Larry and those of us who loved him, was when Larry asked, his doctor confirmed that a colonoscopy earlier on his life would have most likely identified the cancer at a treatable stage. Larry asked us to pass along that message.

So, if you are over 50 and have never had a colonoscopy, please do not hesitate. Speaking from experience, the procedure is relatively painless and lifesaving. According to Larry, he had no symptoms that would have sent him to the doctor and it was only his doctor's nagging that sent him for colonoscopy.