What have you been putting off?
I had a colonoscopy this week. I’m 53 (and a half) years old and for the past 3.5 years I’ve been putting off getting the screening colonoscopy—a procedure that can catch deadly colon cancer while it’s still treatable—that’s recommended for everyone at 50 years old.
I’m a smart woman. I know it’s a good idea to get a colonoscopy and that sooner is better than later. But I couldn’t get myself to do it. My college buddies encouraged me to schedule it (they’d done theirs). But I resisted. Finally, I got a new primary care physician and she basically made the appointment for me.
Why was I dragging my feet? Partly because of the horrible things you hear about the prep (the bowel has to be cleaned prior to the scope). But, in truth, there was also a certain amount of fear that there would be bad news. Irrational, but true. Because of course, if I did have colon cancer, it was better to know than not know. But not knowing bad news can feel safer than knowing it.
Well, it turned out that the prep wasn’t all that bad. Not fun, but not tortuous. And the procedure itself was nothing, because I slept through the whole thing. When it was over the news was good—and immediate. Everything normal. Come back in ten years.
I can’t tell you how good it feels to have that behind me. I didn’t realize the psychic energy I was expending avoiding it. It makes me want to find something else I’m afraid of and just do it.
How about you? Is there something you’ve been putting off? Could you take a tiny step today toward doing it? Trust me, you’ll feel better when it’s done!
Tagged with: fear, procrastination
Comments
Hi, Denise! Thanks for your comment. It is so easy to put off writing a will until something comes up that makes it feel urgent. (For us, it was my husband’s heart surgery 20 years ago.) Trust me, you will feel so much better when you take care of this.
Bravo to you for talking to your parents about their wishes! I am so grateful that I did that with my parents (using Exit Strategies). It was extremely helpful when my mother passed away last June.
And also good for you for getting your colonoscopies!
Janine Adams April 18, 2016 07:51 AM
About Janine
Hello! I’m Janine Adams — a certified professional organizer based in St. Louis, and the creator of Peace of Mind Organizing®.
I love order, harmony + beauty, but I believe that the way that you feel about yourself and your home is what truly matters.
If you’re ready to declutter with a purpose and add more ease to your life, you’ve found the right blog — and you’ve found the right company.
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Hi Janine! I’ve been putting off estate planning and preparation of a will and/or trust. This has been on my To Do list for a long time but I just never seem to get around to doing it. Spending the money to set up a trust and making all of those decisions seem to play into my tendency to procrastinate. On a positive note, I’ve had some discussions with my parents about their wishes as they age. However, you once mentioned a program called Exit Strategies that looks very useful.
Re: the colonoscopy, I have 3 under my belt. Since my Mom had colon cancer, I’m considered high risk and have the “pleasure” of getting a colonoscopy every 5 years instead of 10.
Denise Hesler April 17, 2016 05:03 PM